Six Maoists arrested in Bankura

KOLKATA - Six Maoists were arrested Thursday from West Bengal’s Bankura district, police said.

“Acting on specific information, we cordoned off the Beguashole village in Raipur sub-division and arrested the six Maoists. A huge consignment of ammunition and explosives were also recovered from them,” Bankura police chief Pranav Kumar told IANS over the phone.

“The six cadres, identified as Aditya Rout, Rajib Kisku, Monohar Hemram, Vidyasagar Tuntabai, Sudipta Mondal and Babulal Soren, were produced before the Khatra additional judicial magistrate. They have been remanded to police custody for 14 days,” the officer added.

Among the six, Aditya is considered a prime catch. He was a close aide of Sidhu Soren, the “supreme commander” of the Sidhu Kanu Gana Militia - a militant wing of the Peoples’ Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) - who was killed in a shootout by the police in Metla forest of West Midnapore Monday, the officer said.

“We suspect that Aditya was present with Sidhu and other members in Metla forest early Monday, when joint forces conducted the raid. He managed to escape along with some other members of the squad,” Pranav Kumar said.

“We are yet to interrogate them. But we are well informed about the group members arrested today (Thursday). Aditya was the kingpin of the group and they used to carry explosives and logistics for the Maoists from one place to another”, he added.