Suspected Maoists kill four in West Bengal

KOLKATA - Suspected Maoists killed four political activists, including two of the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) while two rebels were nabbed in West Bengal Friday.

Police said two CPI-M workers were killed in the Belpahari police station area under Jhargram sub-division of West Midnapore district.

Manorajan Mahto and Rathindranath Gop were abducted from their village by a group of heavily armed Maoists Thursday night. Their bodies were found Friday.

A Jharkhand Party activist Raghunath Murmu and a Trinamool Congress worker Hikim Murmu were also murdered in the district.

Trinamool and the pro-Maoist People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) leaders, however, alleged that Murmu was killed by anti-socials backed by the CPI-M.

“We believe the killings were the handiwork of the Maoists,” said a police officer.

Meanwhile, two suspected Maoists were taken into police custody in Barikul of Bankura district, said district superintendent of police Pranab Kumar.