Maoist hideout busted in Bengal, arms seized
By IANSThursday, February 3, 2011
KOLKATA - Security personnel Thursday recovered a sophisticated firearm, explosives and huge cache of ammunition from a Maoist hideout in West Bengal’s West Midapore district, police said.
Joint forces conducted raids in Kanyabali and Lakhanpur forest areas near Lalgarh and unearthed the Maoist hideout.
“No Maoist cadres were present there that time. But an AK-47 rifle, explosives and a huge cache of ammunition were found,” Inspector General of Police (Western Range) Zulfikar Hassan said.
“PLGA was written on the firearm, which suggested that it was used by the top members of Maoists armed wing - Peoples’ Liberation Guerrilla Army. But investigations revealed that the AK-47 belonged to the Eastern Frontier Rifles’ (EFR) second battalion,” Hassan told IANS over phone.
Senior officers of the EFR have been informed to ascertain whether the firearm was looted from the Silda camp of EFR’s second battalion. Maoists attacked rhe camp Feb 15, 2010, and 24 paratroopers were killed in the strike.
Hassan said: “The raids were conducted on the basis of information revealed during interrogation of two Maoists, Amiya Mahato and Ashim Mahato, arrested from a relief camp housed in a guest house of a Trinamool Congress-run civic body in Midnapore town Jan 31.”
The Maoists are active in three western districts of the state - West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia.
