A question mark has appeared yet again on Maoists' intention to open dialogue with the West Bengal government, with the gunning down of a local Trinamool Congress leader in the Jhargram area of Paschim Medinipur district on Tuesday.
“A group of armed assailants waylaid Lalmohan Mahato when he was on his way to give tuitions at Pukuria village, and fired at him from point-blank range. He died on the spot. Posters claiming that Mahato was killed by the Maoists to avenge his attempt to build resistance against left-wing extremists were found at the spot,” said Gaurav Sharma, Superintendent of Police of Jhargram police district.
The killing was carried out allegedly by members of a Maoist squad, led by Jayanta, that operates in the Jhargram region.
Terming the killers “cowards who believe in the politics of violence,” Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee charged a section of the Maoists with trying to derail the peace process initiated by the State government.
