Suspected Maoists kill CPI-M supporter in Bengal

KOLKATA - Suspected Maoists shot dead a Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) supporter in West Bengal’s West Midnapore district Friday, police said.

The body of Bidyadhar Ghosh of Kakotpal village near Binpur in Jhargram sub-division was found lying near the road. “A police team was rushed to the spot to recover his body. He was shot dead by a group of Maoists,” District Additional Superintendent of Police (operations) Mukesh Kumar said.

According to local people, the rebels attacked Bidyadhar in the afternoon when he was working in his agricultural field.

“The Maoists came riding on motorcycles and then forcibly took Bidyadhar to a place near the metalled road. After a few minutes, he was shot dead. They then fled away,” a villager said on condition of anonymity.

In a separate incident, four people of Radhanagar village in Jhargram were injured when a group of Maoists fired and hurled bombs at them late Thursday. They have been admitted to the Jhargram sub-divisional hospital, police said.

“On July 22, Maoists gathered at the village and asked the villagers to join them in a procession. However, the villagers opposed their demand and chased the rebels out of their village July 23. The Maoists came back to the village Thursday night and fired at them,” Mukesh said.

The villagers have demanded setting up of a police camp in their village.

“As the police camp is situated few kilometres away from our village, the rebels easily manage to escape after committing crimes. We have urged the police to set up a camp in our village so that Maoists or the members of the tribal body can not attack us,” said Sukhen Hemram, a villager.