Maoist activities mount in Purulia
Friday, May 25, 2007
Statesman News Service
PURULIA, May 24: The spate of Maoist activities in Purulia and its adjoining areas, especially in the villages, has terrorised the people of the district.
Two armed gangs of Maoist rebels attempted to murder Mr Gobardhan Majhi, CPI-M zonal committee secretary of Balarampur, Purulia; and Mr Manzoor Khan, a member of Purulia district CPI-M committee and a leader of CITU in Balarampur, 50 km from Purulia town, at their respective villages, Padamdih and Rasuldih, about 7 km from Balarampur town.
Mr Manzoor Khan is popular in the area not only as a political leader but also as a sports personality. It is primarily because of his efforts that a local school became the champion in the prestigious All India Subrata Mukherjee Cup football tournament held in New Delhi.
After the attacks, both the politicians fled their villages, sensing danger. Disappointed at not being able to find Mr Gobardhan Majhi, Maoists rebels allegedly tied his relatives and went in search of him. They, however, fled when villagers arrived on the scene on hearing the relatives' screams.
After three days of the incident, many Maoist leaflets were seized by police at Tentalo village of Balarampur. Thousands of leaflets were also found at Raidih, Berada and Baradih villages of Barabazar block in Purulia district last week. In those leaflets, Maoists threatened allegedly corrupt representatives of people, including MPs and MLAs. Maoists also warned against illegal activities like the country liquor trade.
Meanwhile, the CID submitted the chargesheets against Mr Dipanjan Mukhopadhyay, Mrs Kanika Debnath, Mr Pradip Saha and Mr Gaur Narayan Chakraborty, after three years of the murder of Nilmadhab Das, OC of Bandwan, Purulia.
He was brutally killed on 11 October 2003. The chief judicial magistrate of Purulia Court accepted the appeal of Mr Sagar Mondal, the advocate of the four accused and the hearing will be held on 11 June 2007.
However, Mr Ashok Kumar Prasad, SP, Purulia, ruled out the possibility of Maoist being behind the incidents in Balarampur and Barabazar, judging from the style of operation.
A police officer said: "Let us conduct an inquire first, may be others were behind the incidents".
posted by Resistance 5/25/2007 11:08:00 AM,
