2 CPI(M) men, 2 Trinamool supporters killed in Lalgarh

Two CPI(M) supporters and two others of the Trinamool Congress have been shot dead by suspected Maoists in three separate incidents in West Bengal’s Lalgarh region since late Wednesday.

Three CPI(M) supporters were abducted by supporters of the Maoist-backed Police Santrash Birodhi Janasadharaner Committee late on Wednesday from the same region, in protest against the alleged kidnapping of a PSBJC man by CPI(M) cadres. They were, however, released on Thursday, after they agreed to sever ties with the party and promised to find out the whereabouts of the PSBJC supporter.

Unidentified assailants shot dead Trinamool supporters Jaldabaran Kar and Ashis Kar at Bamandiha village on Thursday evening.

In two incidents late on Wednesday, groups of armed assailants barged into the houses of CPI(M) supporters Tapan Mudi and Dilio Mahato at Raghunathpur and Munsidaha villages, dragged them out, and shot them dead. They later ransacked and torched Mahato’s house.

Police sources said that in all three cases, the needle of suspicion pointed to Maoists.

Supporters of the PSBJC abducted CPI(M) members Kartik Dey, Ranjit Patra and Gadadhar Patra from Hatibhasan village near Goaltore.

Ban on PSBJC?

Meanwhile, possibilities are high of the State government banning the PSBJC, which has formed a military wing, Sidhu Kanu Gana Militia, and threatened to launch an armed revolution.

“We are sending regular reports of the illegal activities of the PSBJC to the State government. When an organisation declares that it is going to indulge in unconstitutional activities, steps have to be taken against it,” said Director-General of Police Bhupinder Singh.

At a high-level meeting at the Secretariat on Thursday, security on trains and at railway stations in Maoist-affected areas was reviewed in the wake of the detention of the Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express on Tuesday.

Chief Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborty, Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen, Mr. Bhupinder Singh, and Additional Director-General (Railways) Dilip Mitra attended the meeting.

Later, Mr. Mitra told journalists that a parallel first investigation report was filed by the Central Reserve Police Force in connection with the incident. The Government Railway Police at Jhargram has already filed an FIR.