Silent procession with Maoist mag editor's body

Kolkata, Feb 3: A silent funeral procession was taken out here today with the body of Swapan Dasgupta, editor of a banned Maoist magazine, by politicians and activists who claimed he had a custodial death.

Dasgupta, who was arrested under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) four months ago, died yesterday at the SSKM hospital where he was admitted with asthma and respiratory complications on December 17, the hospital superintendent Debashis Bhattacharya said.

Dasgupta was the editor of the Bengali version of the Maoist magazine 'People's March'.

Among those who took part in the march today were Trinamool Congress MP Kabir Suman and theatre personality Bivas Chakraborty.

Suman, who courted controversy for opposing anti- Maoist operations in West Midnapore district and bringing out an album of songs on Chhatradhar Mahato, the jailed Peoples Committee against Police Atrocities leader, alleged that Dasgupta was killed in custody and demanded a probe.


PTI