Top Maoist leader arrested in West Bengal

KOLKATA - One of the seniormost Maoist leaders in West Bengal was arrested along with his three associates by the city polices Special Task Force Friday night, a top police officer said Saturday.

Sudip Chongdar, more popularly known as Kanchan alias Batas, secretary of the state unit of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), was wanted in several cases of sedition and sabotage.

Kanchan and three other Maoist leaders have been arrested last (Friday) night. Some cash has also been recovered from them, Additional Police Commissioner and Special Task Force chief Rajeev Kumar told IANS.

Chongdar was one of the prime accused in the landmine blast allegedly triggered by the Maoists on Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s convoy at Salboni Nov 2, 2008.

Kanchan took over as CPI-Maoist secretary after his predecessor Soumen alias Himadri Sen Roy was arrested in 2008.

Kanchan became a familiar name as most of the Maoist media releases were issued in his name.

Condemning Kanchan’s detention, pro-Maoist civil rights group Bandi Mukti Committee official Choton Das demanded “immediate arrest of the political leader”.