Maoists strike back at root of defiance

Midnapore, July 30: The Maoists have struck back at West Midnapore villagers who were protesting the disruption caused by the rebels in their daily lives.

Suspected rebels today hacked to death a CPI(M) supporter who had led an anti-Maoist procession in Belpahari on July 28. In Radhanagar, where villagers had chased away armed rebels on July 24, the Maoists hurled bombs and fired at residents guarding the village.

Police said Bidyadhar Ghosh, 40, was hacked to death with choppers by a gang of suspected rebels while he was at work in a field in Belpahari’s Sakundanga village.

“The rebels fled after several labourers working in nearby fields rushed in,” a police officer said. Ghosh was taken to Binpur block hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

Radhanath Das, a resident of neighbouring Harda village, said Ghosh had led an anti-Maoist procession on July 28. Thousands of people from 10 villages had taken part in the procession.

Das said villagers of Sakundanga had beaten up People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities activists a week back. “Several People’s Committee activists fled their homes in Sakundanga and neighbouring Kakotpal, fearing attacks by villagers. Ghosh was killed because he was leading the anti-Maoist agitation in his village,” Das said.

Additional superintendent of police Mukesh Kumar said the cops were probing “whether Ghosh’s leading the agitation was the reason behind his murder”.

Early today at Radhanagar, a group of suspected Maoists hurled bombs and fired at residents guarding the village, injuring four people. They are in hospital with splinter injuries.

“Around 1.30am, rebels attacked 25 of us guarding the village against Maoist attacks. I was hit by splinters in my hands and forehead,” said Golam Mustafa.

Radhanagar is where the anti-Maoist agitation began. On July 22, its residents had chased away Maoists who had asked them to take part in a rally. The next day, people from Radhanagar and several neighbouring villages took out an anti-Maoist procession.

Villagers in Nishchinta chased away armed Maoists on July 24 and caught one of them. The villagers released the rebel after the police said they could not set up a security camp there immediately.


 The Telegraph