While the indefinite bandh called by the Maoist-backed Police Santrash Birodhi Janasadharaner Committee (PSBJC) entered its second day on Saturday, suspected Maoists gunned down two persons in the Lalgarh region of West Bengal's Paschim Medinipur district.
According to Jhargram Superintendent of Police Praveen Kumar Tripathy, the bullet-riddled bodies were found on a village road at Bandhgora, near Jhargram town.
“The victims, Kaushik Datta and Paban Mahato, were part-time government employees. We are investigating the case,” Mr. Tripathy told The Hindu.
Several Maoist posters found on the spot claimed the men were killed because they spied on the rebels on behalf of the police.
Mr. Tripathy denied reports that the men were killed due to their affiliation with a particular political party.
Meanwhile, counsel of the arrested PSBJC convener, Chhatradhar Mahato, filed a verified petition before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of Jhargram on Saturday, complaining about alleged life threatening remarks made against Mr. Mahato by officials of the Medinipur Central Correctional Home, where the convener is lodged.
In the petition, Mr. Mahato complained that the prison authorities were involved in financial irregularities and corruption and were hand-in-glove with a section of the convicts.
Mr. Mahato also alleged that a senior prison official threatened him with dire consequences and asked him to keep quiet about the irregularities when he tried to protest.
“Out of the 130 suspected Maoist under-trials housed at the Medinipur Central Correctional Home, 126 have started a four-day-long relay hunger and plan to launch a fast-unto-death campaign unless steps are taken against the erring officials,” said Mr. Mahato's counsel Kaushik Sinha.