Maoists attack police camp in Bengal, 1 dead

KOLKATA - A group of armed Maoists attacked a camp housing security personnel from various forces in West Bengal’s West Midnapore district late Monday night, just hours after their leader Koteswar Rao alias Kishenji offered a 72-day conditional ceasefire to the government.

One suspected Maoist was killed in the gunfight, police said.

According to police officials, Maoists attacked the camp housing state police and Central Reserve Paramilitary Force (CRPF) troopers at Katapahari in the district around 10.30 p.m.

The security personnel - in the camp that is on a hillock surrounded by thick forests - retaliated and the gunfight went on for around two hours.

Local television news channels reported three casualties in the gunfight, but West Midnapore Superintendent of Police Manoj Verma told IANS on phone Tuesday morning: “We have found only one body and that is unidentified. We are continuing an intense search around the camp.”

Inspector General of Police (Western range) Kuldip Singh said: “We are also getting reports that three suspected Maoists were killed. But, so far, we have recovered only one body from the spot. Some firearms were also recovered from the area.”

“The Maoists first opened fire at the joint forces camp and our men retaliated.”

Local TV channels also reported that the body that had been found was of Lalmohan Tudu, a leader of the Peoples’ Committee Against Police Atrocities, the group that sprung up in the district’s Lalgarh area late in 2008 and gave a huge fillip to Maoist activities in the region.

But there was no confirmation from the authorities about the identity of the man killed. The authorities said none of the security personnel had been hurt in the attack.

Police said the camp housed more than one company of security personnel during the time of Monday’s attack.

“Generally one company of security force comprises 70-80 jawans. There were more than one company of security personnel at the camp including some state police officials,” Inspector General of Police Surajit Kar Purakayastha told IANS.

The timing of the attack - so soon after the ceasefire offer by top Maoist leader Kishenji - caused confusion in the state police headquarters, with some officials taking it as a sign that Maoists could not be trusted, while others said it indicated a rift in the rebel ranks.