Maoist, arms supplier held in Bengal

KOLKATA - A Maoist guerrilla and another man who smuggled arms to the rebels were arrested in West Bengal’s West Midnapore district Wednesday, police said.

A top police official said that acting on a tip off, a team of security personnel arrested Mangal Gorai alias Mangal Baskey from Belpahari under Jhargram sub-division.

Gorai is a squad member of the Communist Party of India-Maoist’s militant wing People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA).

Mrityunjay Bhaskar alias Kumar Bhaskar was picked up from Pirakata under Salboni police station for allegedly smuggling arms to the Leftwing extremists, the official said.

West Midnapore district is the hotbed of Maoist activities in the state, and crack units of central paramilitary troopers and state armed police have been deployed to combat the rebels.