Pro-Maoist group’s spokesman in our custody, admits police

KOLKATA - A day after a pro-Maoist tribal body claimed that its leader and spokesman Manoj Mahato had been taken away by security personnel, West Bengal police Saturday admitted that he had been arrested during a two-day-long joint operation in West Midnapore district.

The Peoples’ Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) Friday alleged that Manoj, spokesperson of the pro-Maoist group had been picked up by a group of policemen in plain clothes from his residence at Birkara near Lalgarh in West Midnapore. However, till late Friday night, police denied they had taken him into custody.

“The spokesperson of the PCAPA, Manoj Mahato along with a Maoist cadre Nabakumar Mahato was arrested by the joint forces personnel during their two-day-long search operation in Lalgarh, Salboni, Goaltore, Binpur and parts of Kotwali areas,” West Midnapore Superintendent of Police Manoj Verma said at a press conference.

“It’s a great achievement of the security forces. Manoj Mahato was wanted in at least seven cases including sedition and violating CrPc 144 (prohibitory orders). He may be involved in more than 15 other cases,” Verma said, adding a firearm and six rounds of ammunition were recovered from Manoj.

He said the PCAPA spokesperson has not been booked under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). “If he was found to be involved in such cases, he would be later booked under UAPA,” he said.

Verma said Nabakumar Mahato was a Maoist cadre and wanted in two cases lodged with the Lalgarh police station in 2006 and 2009, respectively.

“Both of them would be brought before the additional chief judicial magistrate’s court at Jhargram Sunday morning,” he added.

Verma asserted that there was no difference between the PCAPA and the Maoists.

“Most of the senior leaders of PCAPA are Maoists and even the organisation is run by the Maoists top leaders from behind,” he claimed.