Separatist Insurgencies in India - News and Discussions.

[laxman]

New Delhi: The government has said that it was confident of overcoming the Maoist problem in the next three years and had prepared a two-pronged strategy of initiating development and police action in the affected areas.

Addressing a meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Home Affairs, Home Minister P Chidambaram expressed confidence that the challenge of left wing extremism would be met jointly by the Central and state governments.

"The government was confident that the problem of Left wing extremism would be overcome in the next three years," he said.

Chidambaram said after consultations with the Naxal-affected states, it was agreed to have a two-pronged strategy to handle the Maoist issue - development and police action.


While the Central government acknowledged that the primary role and responsibility was that of state governments in enforcing law and order in confronting the challenge of Left wing extremists, it also recognised its responsibility in assisting the states in every way, he said.

The Home Minister said the Centre was assisting the states by providing paramilitary forces, sharing intelligence and funding both development schemes and security needs.

Chidambaram informed Parliamentarians that in a meeting of Chief Ministers of seven Naxal-affected states on July 14, it was agreed that a Unified Command would be set up in four states - West Bengal, Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand - for anti-Naxal operations.

Besides, the Centre would provide these states additional helicopters for logistical support, funds for establishment and strengthening of 400 police stations recruiting additional Special Police Officers.

It was also agreed to set up an Empowered Group chaired by Member Secretary, Planning Commission, to review existing norms and guidelines in implementation of various development schemes, having regard to local needs like road connectivity, primary education, primary health care and drinking water.

During the discussions, the members broadly agreed with the suggestions given in the agenda note which included steps on both security and development fronts.

According to an estimate, about 40,000 sq km areas in these states are under the control of Maoists.

Naxal violence has claimed the lives of over 10,000 civilians and security personnel in the last five years.

Out of a total of 10,268 casualties between 2005 and May this year, 2,372 deaths have been reported in 2009 as against 1,769 in 2008 and 1,737 in 2007.


Will overcome Maoist problem in three years: Chidambaram

 

[lemurian]

Suspected Maoists kill tribal activist in Orissa

Koraput (Orissa), Aug.10 (ANI): A group of suspected Maoists fatally attacked a tribal activist at Bandhu Gaon in Koraput region of Orissa on Monday.

Buzz up!
Kendurka Arjun, the tribal activist was the Secretary of the tribals forum named Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangh (CMAS) for the Bandhugaon unit.


It is learnt that Kendurka Arjun had been receiving threats to his life from the Maoists. He was finally killed by a group of suspected armed Maoists who slit his throat and shot him down in close range.

Though no Maoist letter or poster has been recovered from the spot, Kendruka Arjun was slain in a fashion usually followed by the Maoists.

"My sister was also with him (Arjun). Armed Maoists stopped both of them and asked where were they going. They blocked their way and harassed them. Arjun pleaded with them for his life but the Maoists did not listen to them. The Maoists killed him," said Harindra, Kendruka Arjun's relative.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Kendruka Arjun had been on the hit list of the Maoists, evidence being several posters pasted against Arjun at several places in the region a few months ago.

The Maoists had accused him of selling Advivasi Sangh-owned land rather than distributing it to the landless tribal people.

Kendruka Arjun had also contested the elections to the State's legislature in 2009 as an independent candidate from the Laxmipur constituency. By Sarada Lahangir (ANI)

Suspected Maoists kill tribal activist in Orissa - Oneindia News


Thats what they are, bunch of bloodthirsty thugs..

 

[flanker143]

Indian Air Force to fire on Naxals, if attacked


By Praful Kumar Singh

New Delhi, Aug 12 (ANI): The Indian Air Force (IAF) can fire in self-defence if its helicopters engaged on logistical missions in Maoists infested areas are attacked, according to a well placed source.

The IAF has deployed its special Garuda forces in helicopters to counter attacks while operating in Naxal dominated areas even as the debate goes rages on the deployment of the armed forces in anti-Maoist operations.

“The permission has been granted but with strict conditionalities. We cannot use rockets or the integral guns of the helicopters and we can retaliate only if fired upon,” the source said on Thursday.

“To this end, we have side-mounted machineguns on our choppers that are operated by our Garuds (IAF commandoes),” the source spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The IAF has positioned four medium-lift Mi-17 helicopters at Raipur for assisting the paramilitary and state police forces in their anti-Maoist operations.The Air Force has so far flown 635 sorties, ferried 4500 people in the Naxal-affected areas.

Commenting on the deployment of more helicopters for anti-Naxal operations, the source said the Air Force has also suggested the government that the 15-odd Mi-17s it has deployed on UN peacekeeping operations in the Congo be recalled.

“Once the numbers increase, then we will have to assess the situation. There are also safety aspects like the sanitisation of helipads,” the source said.

He also denied reports that an 80-hour limitation per machine per month had been placed on the four IAF helicopters.

“In April the four helicopters deployed for anti-Maoists operation flew for 169 hours, in May 91 hours, in June 81 hours and in July 89 hours,” the source said.

The source, when asked about a separate air wing for the central paramilitary forces, said the issue is “complicated”. (ANI)

 

[Break the Silence]

IAF gets permission to fire at Naxals in self-defence

The IAF has got the government's permission to fire back at Naxals in extremist-hit areas in self-defence, highly-placed Air Force sources said on Thursday.



The government's nod to the IAF's request made in September last year comes at a time when a debate is raging on whether India should use its armed forces against left-wing extremists, whom Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described as the gravest internal security threat.



The IAF currently deploys two of its Mi-17s and two Dhruv helicopters in anti-Naxal operations. It had lost one of its personnel when a helicopter ferrying election officials and material during the Chattisgarh assembly polls was fired at by suspected Naxals a couple of years ago.



The government had given permission to the IAF to defend itself from the extremists' fire and had laid out conditions on the use of small arms in self-defence sometime in October-November last year.



Consequently, the IAF has fitted sideward-mounted machine guns on its helicopters flying in Naxal-affected areas basically for logistics, personnel transport and casualty evacuation of paramilitary forces engaged in fighting the Maoists, the sources said.



These guns would be operated by IAF commandos belonging to Garud units, who would be on board the helicopters every time they go out on sorties, the sources said.



Defence Minister A K Antony had told Parliament in November last year that though no offensive military action had been envisaged while using the IAF helicopters in anti-Naxal operations, there was no specific approval required for action in self-defence.

IAF gets permission to fire at Naxals in self-defence

 

[syntax_error]

BOKARO: A Maoist commander of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist outfit surrendered before police in Jharkhand's Bokaro district Monday.

Ramendra Singh alias Guruji, sub-zonal commander of the CPI-Maoist, surrendered before Bokaro zone Inspector General of Police Manoj Mishra. He surrendered with a pistol and live cartridges.

Ramendra, resident of Kaimur in Bihar, faces more than 17 criminal cases. He joined the Maoist organisation in 1986.

He was given Rs.50,000 cash under the surrender policy of the state government. More money would be given in future to rehabilitate him.

Ramendra is the seventh Maoist local leader who has surrendered in the last one month in Jharkhand.

Maoist commander surrenders in Jharkhand - India - The Times of India

 

[gubbi]

Top Maoist leader Mahato killed in encounter

Pro-Maoist leader Umakanta Mahato, a prime suspect in the Jnaneshwari Express sabotage case, was killed in an encounter with joint security forces in Jhargram area of West Bengal's West Midnapore district early on Friday, a top police official said. "Umakanta Mahato has been killed sometime early following an encounter in a forest area of Jhargram," West Bengal Director General of Police (DGP) Bhupinder Singh said.

Mahato was the leader of tribal body People's Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA), which has been blamed for causing the sabotage.

The five-hour encounter that started at around 1.30 a.m. took place in the Mohanpur forest near Lodhashuli.

A 9mm pistol and several rounds of ammunition have also been recovered, but Umakanto's associates managed to flee.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), probing the Jnaneshwari case, had earlier announced a reward of Rs. One lakh for information regarding Umakanta Mahato.

Mahato had been absconding since the May 28 train disaster, in which 148 people were killed after ultras removed the clips in around 50 metres of the track causing derailmemt of the Mumbai-bound train. Soon after, a freight train coming from the opposite direction rammed into the derailed coaches causing high casualties.

Another prime suspect, Bapi Mahato, has already been arrested. The third prime accused, Asit Mahato, has so far eluded the police dragnet.

Good riddance, I say.

 

[isaac1947]

If one leader dies, someone else will take his position within a specific time period. This always happen in ideology driven movements.

As long as the core issue of socio-economic issues is not resolved it doesn't matter who gets killed or how

 

[Kyusuibu Honbu]

India border troops 'tortured' Maoist suspects​

Claims that Indian paramilitary forces tortured villagers while pursuing Maoist rebels in the central state of Chhattisgarh are under investigation.

Troops from the Border Security Force (BSF) allegedly beat and gave electric shocks to tribal people, including women, during interrogation.

BSF director general Raman Srivastava said an internal inquiry was underway.

A large number of Indian police and paramilitary are based in Chhattisgarh, a stronghold of Maoist insurgents.

The allegations against the troops have been made by residents of Pachangi and Aloor villages in Kanker district.

The rebels, who say they are fighting for the rights of the rural poor, have carried out a spate of deadly attacks in recent months.

In April, 76 members of the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force were killed in Chhattisgarh state's Dantewada district.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described the insurgency as India's biggest internal security challenge.

Meanwhile, the rebels blew up rail tracks and killed eight people in three Indian states, after calling a 48-hour strike.

The walkout is to protest against what the Maoists call the "cold-blooded" killing of their top leader, Cherikuri Rajkumar, alias Azad.

Authorities said Azad was killed in a clash on 2 July.

The industrial action has affected parts of the states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar and Maharashtra.

Early on Monday, the rebels shot dead five male members of a family after dragging them from a house in Dompara village, West Bengal, police said.

They were apparently targeted for supporting the state's governing Communists.

Also on Monday, the Maoists shot dead two officers at a police station in Dantewada district, police said.

The Maoists also blew up a stretch of railway track near the Karmavad station in Giridih district of Jharkhand.

 

[Kyusuibu Honbu]

State worse for us than Naxals, say 58% in poll​

India's biggest internal security threat, as the Prime Minister famously described it, may be worse than you thought. That's because even in Andhra Pradesh, where the battle against the Maoists has apparently been won, it turns out that the government is losing the battle for the minds and hearts of the people.

An exclusive survey of the once Maoist-dominated districts of the Telengana region by IMRB for The Times of India has found that while attitudes towards the rebels are ambivalent, the condemnation of the government and its means of tackling the problem is quite clear.

The findings raise disturbing questions about whether focusing largely on the policing aspects of the problem may be a flawed strategy in the long run. They also throw up another poser: Has the battle in AP truly been won or can the Maoists stage a comeback in a few years?

Consider the facts. A clear 58% majority of those polled in the small towns of five Andhra districts - that abut the Maoist-dominant areas of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Orissa - said Naxalism had actually been good for their area and only 21% said it had been bad. Only 38% said life had improved after Naxal activities had gone down in their area, with 27% maintaining it had worsened and 34% saying it had not changed.

It's not as if the people of the region are unequivocal supporters of the Maoists' aims or their methods. On whether killings by Maoists were justified, 52% said they were entirely or mostly justified, but an almost equal proportion, 42%, said they were not. Also, when asked the reasons for the Naxal influence in their area, 46% said it was due to fear, only 9% attributed it solely to popularity and a large chunk of 45% said both fear and popularity played a role.

However, when the question was asked about government agencies killing Maoists, only 34% felt the killings were justified, while 65% said they weren't. It's clear that the Indian state's credibility is particularly low in these areas and is probably the reason why the Naxals thrived here.

State worse for us than Naxals, say 58% in poll - The Times of India

 

[Kyusuibu Honbu]

India protests 'training' of its Maoists in Nepal: Kathmandu​

KATHMANDU — India has written to the government of Nepal to protest the alleged training of Indian Maoist rebels in the country, Nepal's foreign ministry said Saturday.

India's ambassador made the allegation in a formal letter of protest to Nepal's caretaker government last week, the ministry said.

Embassy sources who spoke on condition of anonymity told AFP there was evidence the Indian rebels had received "ideological and military training" in Nepal, which suffered its own Maoist insurgency between 1996 and 2006.

Since then the former guerrillas have transformed themselves into Nepal's biggest political force, winning 2008 elections, and they are now the main opposition party.

"We have received a letter from the Indian ambassador expressing concern about Naxalite training having taken place in Nepal. This is a serious matter," Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala said.

The Indian embassy gave no time frame for when the training took place but Nepalese media reports said it occurred recently.

India's Maoist rebels, also known as the Naxalites, have been fighting since 1967 against state and central government rule, drawing support from tribal groups and landless farmers left behind by India's rapid economic expansion.

The insurgency has since spread to 20 out of India's 29 states and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called the Maoists the biggest single threat to the country's internal security.

India's embassy to Nepal confirmed that a letter had been sent, but refused to divulge the details of its contents.

"Indian ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood handed letters of concern to the ministries," spokeswoman Apoorva Srivastava told AFP, referring to Nepal's home and foreign ministries.

"The letter is about links between Nepal's Maoists and India's Naxalites."

Nepal's Maoist party denied any involvement in training Indian guerrillas.

"We are in the middle of a peace process so that would make no sense. Our party has not trained and will not train Indian Maoists," senior party leader Chandra Prakash Gajurel told AFP.

AFP: India protests 'training' of its Maoists in Nepal: Kathmandu

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

Maoist Supporter Shot Dead, 13 Policemen Injured in West Bengal
​

KOLKATA: A suspected Maoist supporter was killed and 13 policemen were injured in a clash between Maoists and security personnel in West Bengal's West Midnapore district early Thursday, police said.

Thirteen policemen who raided a Maoist meeting in Chunapara area in Jhargram sub-division were injured after coming under attack from Maoists armed with bricks and batons.

Police then shot dead a Maoist supporter and injured eight others.

It all began when police raided the area when the Maoists were holding a meeting with villagers, Additional Superintendent of Police Mukesh Kumar said over telephone.

"Using women and children as a shield, the Maoists attacked the security personnel," he said.

Uttam Kumar Debbath, officer-in-charge of the Sankrail police station, was thrashed by a mob.

Debnath was rushed to the Midnapore Medical College and Hospital in critical condition. The Maoists looted a few firearms, including an AK-47 of the officer.

A huge contingent of police rushed to the spot and shot dead the Maoist supporter.

The Trinamool Congress claimed that the dead man was its supporter.

West Midnapore district party president Pranab Basu accused the police of firing indiscriminately.

Maoist supporter shot dead, 13 policemen injured in West Bengal - The Times of India

Maoists Kill Four Persons in West Bengal
​

KOLKATA: Four persons, including two Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) activists and the mother of a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) trooper, were killed Monday by suspected Maoist guerrillas in West Midnapore district of West Bengal, police said.

"A CPM leader of Patashimul village was shot dead in the afternoon, while the bodies of Sandhyarani Mahato, Rashbihari Mahato and Owahed Ali of Ganakkata village in Jhargram sub-division were found in the morning," said Jhargram police district superintendent Praveen Tripathi.

A group of four-five Maoists, riding on motorbikes, attacked former CPM rural body member of Patashimul panchayat - Kanai Rai - at his residence Monday afternoon, he said.

"The group dragged him out and shot him at point-blank range. His wife Basanti Rai tried to prevent the attack, and sustained a bullet injury on her left hand," Tripathi said.

She was rushed to Jhargarm sub-divisional hospital in critical condition.

"Kanai, who was away from home for over six months fearing Maoist attack, had returned this (Monday) morning," he said.

In a separate incident, a group of Maoist guerrillas attacked Ganakkata village in Jhargram sub-division Sunday night and dragged out Sandhyarani Mahato, Rashbihari Mahato and Owahed Ali from their houses. Their bullet-ridden bodies were recovered Monday morning.

Rashbihari was a CPM supporter while Owahed Ali was an employee of the local block office.

"During preliminary investigations, it was learnt that Sandhyarani was killed because her son is a jawan (trooper) of the CRPF," said additional superintendent of police (operations) Mukesh Kumar.

CRPF is involved in the ongoing anti-Maoist operations in Lalgarh and adjoining areas.

"Owahed was shot dead as his brother joined the state police as an assistant sub-inspector in Howrah district. Rashbihari was shot dead for allegedly working as a police informer," he said.

"It is a matter of concern as six people were killed in Jhargram by the Maoists in the last 48 hours. We are suspecting that the squad operating in the area, led by Sashadhar Mahato and Suchitra Mahato, is involved in the murder," he said.

Maoists are active in three western districts of the state - West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia.

Maoists kill four persons in West Bengal - The Times of India

Maoists Blow Up School in Orissa to Protest Obama Visit​

BHUBANESWAR: Maoist guerrillas on Monday blew up a newly constructed school building in Orissa's Malkangiri district to protest US President Barack Obama's India visit, police said. No one was injured.

Around 30-40 rebels blew up the double-storey school building at Gomphakunda village, some 55 km from the district headquarters of Malkangiri. No one was inside the building at the time of the attack.

"The building was recently constructed. The rebels blasted it using landmines," inspector Debashis Mishra, in charge of the police station there, said.

Maoist posters found from nearby areas indicated that they triggered the blast to protest Obama's visit to India, he said.

The rebels have also felled trees in several places on the highway connecting Tanginiguda and Gobindapali village, affecting vehicular movement on the route, he ssaid.

Malkangiri district, over 600 km from Bhubaneswar, is considered a Maoist stronghold.

Maoists blow up school in Orissa to protest Obama visit - The Times of India

Maoists Blow Up Railway Track, Goods Train Derailed in Bihar
​

PATNA: Ten wagons of a goods train got derailed when Maoists blew up a railway track near Kurhani railway station in Hajipur-Muzaffarpur section of East-Central Railway in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district early Monday, DGP Neelmani said.

Over 50 ultras triggered a dynamite blast blowing up railway track near Kurhani station, he said.

The wagons of a goods train which passed over that track after the blast got derailed disrupting movement of rail traffic since 3 am on Monday. Trains were being diverted from Hajipur to Muzaffarpur via Sahpur-Patori station, he said.

Meanwhile, rail traffic was restored on Mughalsarai section under Mughalsarai division of ECR which was affected following Maoists threat to plant bombs during a bandh call by them.

Bomb disposal squad after thorough checking of the tracks between Ismailpur and Rafigunj station found that there was no bomb planted on the track, Neelmani said, adding, following which the authorities decided to allow movement of trains.

According to an official report from Gaya, the Naxalites blasted a block office and set fire four trucks in the district late last night in a determined bid to enforce the shutdown.

Over 100 ultras commanded the drivers and helpers of the truck to leave their vehicles, sprayed petrol and kerosene and burned four trucks near Amas police station in the district.

Maoists also blasted the block office at Banke Bazar in the district from where posters were recovered against US President Barack Obama's visit to India.

In the third incident reported from the district, the heavily armed ultras exchanged fire with security personnel at Maigra high school of Dumaria police station in the district. No casualty was however reported in any of these incidents, official sources said.

Commandos of Special Task Force of Bihar Police assisted by CRPF personnel were engaged in combing operations against the Maoists in the area.

Maoists blow up railway track, goods train derailed in Bihar - The Times of India

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

841 people killed by Maoists till Oct 31 | Siasat

New Delhi: A total of 841 people, including 264 security personnel, were killed by Maoists till Oct 31 this year, parliament was told Tuesday.

While the maximum number of civilian casualties have been reported from West Bengal, the greatest number of security personnel have lost their lives in Chattisgarh, Minister of State for Home Ajay Maken told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

"Central government reimburses an ex-gratia payment of Rs.3 lakh to the next-of-kin of security forces killed in the Naxal (Maoist)-affected areas and Rs.1 lakh to civilians killed in Naxal attacks," he said.

There are also various plans to develop the area affected by Maoist violence, with 69 development schemes of various ministries being implemented for comprehensive development of Maoist-affected areas, Maken added.

--Agencies

 

[Abhishek_]

Worried over setback, Maoists launch leadership training

Worried over the continuing loss of senior leadership and the revolutionary movement failing to strike root in urban areas, the CPI (Maoist) has begun a serious exercise train its leaders in identifying their mistakes.

The ‘Leadership Training Programme' is meant to help the Maoist leaders reinvent the ideological moorings of the Protracted People's War (PPW) and check ‘lethargy' — a direct offshoot of ‘years of stagnation' [in spread of revolutionary movement]. Intelligence agencies believe that this programme began last year.

The main purpose is to help the rebel leaders “change the direction of work from going in circles to going in spirals,” notes a seven-page circular on the programme, a copy of which is with The Hindu. It throws light on the Maoists' perspective on their inability to extend the revolutionary movement in many States.

The Maoist think tank's analysis is that the rebel leaders “tend to go about their work in a routine and mechanical way with little creativity and dynamism…Many comrades rest satisfied with petty achievements and mundane activities.” While many committed leaders continue against all odds, their dedication does not bear fruit. “What is the reason for this?” asks the circular. The decision to train leaders comes in the backdrop of some worrisome developments for the Maoists. Their movement failed to take off in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala and Gujarat, managed by the Maoists South Western Regional Bureau (SWRB). While some important leaders were arrested, some were shot dead by security forces and the movement in Karnataka suffered a vertical split on ideological issues. “In the XYZ region [possibly a reference to SWRB] in the course of just one year we have lost over two-thirds of CCMs [Central Committee Members] to encounter killings, arrests and untimely deaths. We have also witnessed the near wipe-out of an entire State committee due a series of arrests”.

The circular says: “Our very limited mass base and our weaknesses to conceptualise the changes in the enemy's methods are leading to heavy losses.”

The Hindu : States / Andhra Pradesh : Worried over setback, Maoists launch leadership training

 

[mehru]

Maoist bomb kills eight children in Bihar

Patna: At least eight children were killed and six were injured when a powerful bomb planted by the Maoists exploded in Bihar early yesterday, a day after the polling to 243 assembly seats was concluded amid stray incidents of violence.

Angry villagers protested on the streets for hours shouting slogans against the local administration and did not allow the administration to lift the bodies for autopsy.

The incident took place at Pachaukhar village in Maoist-hit Aurangabad district of Bihar, some 210km south of Patna, located along the Bihar-Jharkhand border. Police said the incident occurred when the curious crowd of villagers had gathered in an open field to see the bomb planted in a cooking gas cylinder by the left wing extremists. All the victims were children who were going to local tutors for study, riding their cycles.

Police efforts

Twelve others, who sustained splinter injuries, were admitted to various hospitals in Deo and Aurangabad towns. One of them died later, police said. The district magistrate and the SP could reach Bedhni, 3km from the explosion site, and efforts were on to pacify the local people, police said.

The local police had detected the cylinder bomb late on Saturday night and left it for the bomb disposal squads to handle it, but it went off when the curious onlookers gathered around in the morning.

TV footage showed the body parts of the victims and their mangled cycles strewn across the open ground, and angry villagers shouting slogans. Bihar's director general of police, Neelmani warned of serious actions against the policemen for lapses on their part which killed eight persons.

"Stern action will be taken against the cops for their lapses and the Maoists who had planted the bomb," Neelmani said.

The Bihar chief minister has expressed shock over the incident and had formed a two-member committee to inquire into the incident. Authoritative sources said the director general of police (home guard) U.S. Dutta and development commissioner K.C. Saha had been asked to inquire into the incident and submit their report within 24 hours.

Kumar has also asked Chief Secretary Anoop Mukherjee to ensure adequate compensation to families of the victims.

Two more bombs were detected yesterday morning near a school building in Sherghati town in Bihar's Gaya district. Maoists had planted a huge number of bombs and laid landmines on routes leading to polling booths in 26 assembly constituencies which went to poll on Saturday.

The local administration is puzzled by how the Maoists were able to gain technology to manufacture high-quality bombs and were also able to lay them in crowded places despite the presence of heavy security forces.

gulfnews : Maoist bomb kills eight children in Bihar

Maoists abduct two more-teacher and woman social worker

Two persons were abducted from West Midnapore in separate incidents on Saturday.

In the first incident, a woman employee of the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), Sampriti Mahato, has been reportedly abducted by Maoists. According to the police, Sampriti of Jamda village near Lalgarh was reported missing yesterday night. In another incident, a school teacher, Devendra Singh, was also allegedly abducted by the Maoists. Praveen Tripathi,

Superintendent of Police, Jhargram, said that Singh was reported missing on Friday evening. Police said that Singh went to his school at Kajla village yesterday and since then he has not returned home.

Meanwhile, the police have today arrested two Maoist squad members from Bankura and Purulia. Kinkar Pal, Bankura district president of Peoples’ Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA), was arrested from a forest near Hijli village in Barikul. A firearm and 10 rounds of ammunition were recovered from him, said Pranav Kumar, Superintendent of Police, Bankura. In another raid, the police arrested Sudhir Hemram, a resident of Arsha, in Purulia, said Sunil Chowdhury, SP, Purulia.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Maoists-abduct-two-more-teacher-and-woman-social-worker/714372

Villager beheaded, Maoists gun down two CPM

Lalgarh: Maoists have struck again in West Bengal. They kidnapped, shot and then beheaded a villager from Lalgarh.

The man's decapitated body was found on Sunday morning, with its head in its hands, on the state highway near Jhargram, some distance from his village.

The man, is believed to be a CPM supporter.

Later in the evening, two local CPM leaders were shot dead at Shalboni by suspected Maoists.
http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/maoists-behead-lalgarh-villager-67711

 

[justanobserver]

Patna: At least eight children were killed and six were injured when a powerful bomb planted by the Maoists exploded in Bihar early yesterday, a day after the polling to 243 assembly seats was concluded amid stray incidents of violence.

Maoists trying desperately to stay relavent...

Bihar elections was a breakthrough this time, previously areas where no one would dare to come out have registered a 50%+ voter turnout (not even a booth capture).

Nitish coming to power again will be the end (atleast greatly diminished) of the Maoist movement in Bihar