Maoists attack panchayat office in Bengal

KOLKATA - Supected Maoists Friday attacked a panchayat office in West Bengal’s West Midnapore district, police said.

“At least 20 ultra-Left rebels came riding on motorcycles, hurled bombs and broke into the two-storeyed Dhanghori gram panchayat building near Sankrail police station in the district early Friday,” said Mukesh Kumar, additional superintendent of police (Operations).

“They ransacked the office, damaged furniture and computers, burnt files, raised slogans and left posters claiming responsibility for the incident,” he said.

The posters recovered from the spot said the attack was a retaliation for the “atrocities” by Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) cadres on villagers at Chunpara area Nov 4.

A police team faced resistance from villagers when they raided Chunpara village. The officer in-charge of the Sankrail police station and 11 other policemen were injured after villagers allegedly backed by the Maoists severely beat up the cops with sticks and hurled brickbats at them.

Later, the security personnel conducted a retaliatory raid in the area, followed by a gunfight in which a villager was killed, police said.