Spate of Maoist attacks in West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar

A partially burnt truck on the GT road near Giridih that was set afire by Maoists on Monday. Photo: Manob Chowdhury

Maoists on Monday unleashed a wave of attacks in which a Jharkhand Party member was killed in West Bengal. They also blew up railway tracks and set trucks ablaze in Jharkhand and blew up a telecommunications tower in Bihar.

The violence occurred during a two-day shutdown called by the Communist Party of India (Maoist) in protest against the Centre’s moves to launch a crackdown on the banned group.

In West Bengal, the body of Jharkhand Party member, Kanai Murmu, who was kidnapped from his village at Ergada village late last night, was found on Monday , the police said.

According to sources, another party member , Ananda Mahato, was abducted by Maoists from Kulabheda village. Both Murmu and Mahato were members of the anti-Maoist ‘Maobadi Protirodh Committee.’ At Ghatbera in Purulia district, Maoists ransacked the house of a local CPI(M) leader and shot at and injured a member of the village resistance committee. As the attackers failed to find Chandan Singh Laya, the CPI(M) Ghatbera local committee secretary, they set his house ablaze.

In Jharkhand, Maoists blew up railway tracks at Jharandih in Dhanbad leading to the Shaktipunj Express and local trains being held up at various points, Senior Public Relations Officer of Dhanbad Rail Division Amrendra Das said. A light engine derailed after a one-and-half metre section of railway tracks was blown up but nobody was injured, Mr. Das said.

A group of 12 armed Maoists also set three trucks ablaze in Giridih district’s Isri area and blocked the Dumri-Giridih road with felled trees, Giridih Superintendent of Police Ravi Kant Dhan said.

In Jharkhand, the Maoists also partially damaged a road bridge connecting Dumri to the Grand Trunk Road with explosives. Gunshots were also heard in the area, Mr. Dhan said.

Hazaribagh Superintendent of Police Pankaj Kamboj said Maoists partially damaged a road with explosives, at Sardalo, bordering Bokaro district.

At Salaiya village in Bihar, armed Maoists blew up the tower of a private telecom firm with dynamite , official sources said. They also dug up a 15 metre stretch of a road at Chanda village, disrupting traffic between Deo and Dhibra. The Maoists left behind pamphlets claiming responsibility.

Additional Director-General of Police (headquarters) Neelmani said strict security arrangements have been made for the two-day shutdown in Bihar.