Maoist, linkman held in West Bengal

KOLKATA - A Maoist squad member and a suspected Maoist linkman were arrested Saturday from West Bengal’s Bankura and Purulia districts, police said.

“Kinkar Pal, a member of Madan Mahato’s squad and also the Bankura district president of pro-Maoist tribal body Peoples’ Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA), was arrested from a forest near Hijli village,” said Bankura Police Superintendent Pranav Kumar.

“Acting on a tip-off, we rounded him up in the forest early Saturday. A firearm and 10 rounds of ammunition were recovered from him. He will be produced before the local court this (Saturday) afternoon,” Kumar told IANS over phone.

Kinkar is a prime catch as he was wanted in nine cases, including murder, arson and loot. He was recruited into the rebel ranks in 1993 in Jharkhand. Last year, he returned to Bankura during the Lalgarh movement and took charge as PCAPA district secretary.

In a separate incident, a suspected Maoist linkman was arrested from Purulia town Saturday morning.

“Sudhir Hemram was involved in a murder case. He will be produced before the court,” Purulia Police Superintendent Sunil Chowdhury said.

Meanwhile, a woman employee of the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) has been reportedly abducted by the Maoist in West Midnapore district.

“Sampriti Mahato of Jamda village near Lalgarh went missing Friday night. She was abducted by a group of suspected Maoists,” a police officer said.