Intelligence official abducted by Maoists in Bengal

KOLKATA - An Intelligence Branch (IB) officer and an NGO worker were abducted by the Maoists from West Bengal’s Purulia district, police said Saturday.

“Partha Biswas, an officer of IB from Kolkata, came to Purulia Friday. We were initially unaware of his visit. We came to know that he had been abducted by the Maoists Saturday morning and we are looking into the matter. Till now we are yet to trace the duo,” said Purulia Police Superintendent Rajesh Yadav.

Sources among the Maoists, however, confirmed that Biswas and NGO worker Surojit Bose, a school teacher from Hooghly, were in their custody, safe and secure but till now their abductors have not stated any condition for their release.

Inspector General of Police (Western Range) Zulfikar Hassan said: So far no Maoist leaders or their sympathisers have claimed responsibility for the abduction and even they have not communicated to us about their demands. But we are confirmed that the Maoist guerrillas were involved in the abduction of the IB officer and NGO worker.

“We are trying to rescue them safely,” said Hassan.

Senior officials of Intelligence Branch here said that Biswas - an officer of inspector rank - was on leave and went to Purulia without informing them.

“Biswas was not on duty as he was on leave and he went to Purulia purely for personal reasons,” Additional Director General of Intelligence Branch Banibrata Basu said.

“We have information that he used to run an NGO and went there to work for that organisation, added Basu.

According to sources in IB, Biswas and Bose were untraceable since Friday evening and later at 11.58 p.m. they were traced at 4 km west of Barabhum police station in Purulia and after that all contact with them was lost.