Pro-Maoist group to observe ‘martyr’s week’ for slain rebel

KOLKATA - Vowing to avenge the death of Maoist Sidhu Soren, the pro-Maoist Peoples’ Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) and its militant wing has called a two-day shutdown across West Bengal starting Aug 3 and a week-long agitation programme to mourn the killing of their supreme commander.

Soren was among six Maoist guerrillas gunned down by security forces during a fierce clash at the Metla forest under Goaltore police station Monday.

PCAPA spokesperson Manoj Mahato said a martyr’s week will be observed in West Midnapore’s Lalgarh and its adjacent areas between July 29 and Aug 4 in memory of Soren, the founder-member of PCAPA and its armed wing Sidhu Kanu Gana Militia.

“We will observe a martyr’s week in memory of Sidhu Soren and five others, including his close aide Mita, who were treacherously killed by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and the police,” said Mahato, the second in command of the Sidhu Kanu Gana Militia.

Accusing CPI-M leaders like Sushanta Ghosh, West Midnapore party district secretary Dipak Sarkar, Krishnapada Dule, Sukur Ali and Tapan as the main perpetrators behind the crime, Mahato said: “Sidhu Soren’s sacrifice will not go in vain. We vow to take revenge and that will be lethal and dangerous.”

“During the martyr’s week starting July 29, the tribal people of Junglemahal (forested areas covering parts of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura) will observe non-cooking day July 29, hold meetings and rallies July 30 and 31, mourning day August 1 and will erect the Sidhu Soren column August 2 apart from observing a 48-hour long statewide shutdown from August 3,” said Mahato.

“Health service will be exempted from the purview of the shutdown call and the tribal people… have been requested to lend support to make the martyr’s week a grand success,” Mahato said.