CPI(M) man shot dead, abducted teacher still traceless

Jhargram/Bankura (WB), 8 Mar: A CPI(M) worker was shot dead by Maoists in West Midnapore district, police said today.

The incident happened last night at Golbandhi area in the district when the man along with two others were on way to their home in bicycles, they said.

However, the two others were unharmed, police said.

Meanwhile, in Saluka village in Bankura district, Golok Duley, son of abducted school teacher and local CPI(M) leader Ranjit Duley, today held a press conference reportedly under Maoist-backed PCAPA's duress where he reiterated the rebels' demand of releasing their eight cadre arrested for allegedly killing Sarenga police station in-charge on 25 February.

Golok has held the press conference at the instruction of Sidhu Soren, a leader of Sidhu Kano Gana Committee, militant wing of the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities, sources said.

Golok also demanded release of 37 villagers, detained by security forces after an encounter with Maoists in West Midnapore district yesterday.

The encounter took place near Lalgarh in the district after Maoists fired at the security forces, looking for the teacher, abducted on gun-point by Naxals on 5 March while supervising a class X examination in a government school in Sarenga area in Bankura district.

According to sources, Golak also submitted a memorandum to the Sarenga police station with Maoists' demands, which included compensation for the dead and injured people in yesterday's encounter.

A Maoist identified as Gurcharan Hembram was killed in yesterday encounter.

In October 2009, Maoists had used the same tactics of kidnapping and releasing Sankrail Officer-in-Charge Atindranath Dutta in West Midnapore, for release of a dozen arrested women Maoists sympathisers.
 

(PTI)