Police officer, Maoist killed in West Bengal

KOLKATA - The officer-in-charge of a police station and a Maoist were killed in a gun battle in West Bengal’s Bankura district, police said Thursday.

Bankura Superintendent of Police Vishal Garg told IANS that a group of heavily armed Maoists abducted and shot Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Tarashankar Patra Wednesday night.

When police inspector Rabi Lochan Mitra led his men in search of the guerrillas, they opened fire, triggering the gun battle.

Mitra was hit on the chest and died instantly. A Maoist was also killed while another was injured. Patra, injured in the leg, and the injured Maoist have been hospitalised.

The Maoists are very active in West Bengal’s Bankura, West Midnapore and Purulia districts.