Maoists kill three local CPI (M) leaders in Midnapore

Kolkata, Nov. 7 : Ahead of West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's visit to Midnapore, suspected Maoists gunned down three persons at Kushboni forest on Saturday.

Superintendent of Police, West Midnapore, M K Varma said Manoranjan Mandi, Joyram Murmu and Laxmi Das, all members of the Gana Pratirodh Committee, formed by the CPI(M) to resist the Maoists, were forcibly taken away from their houses to a nearby forest where their hands were tied up and a number of bullets pumped in their bodies. They died on the spot.

The trio belonged to the Jharkhand Jana Mukti Morcha and later joined the Gana Pratirodh Committee and led movements against Maoists, sources said.

'Suddenly at night we heard two loud noises outside. Thinking that people might be carrying some explosions, out of fear we did not go out to see,' said Ajay Hansda, a child of the village.

A Maoist poster was found near their bodies in the forest near Dahijuri, in which the ultras alleged that the deceased used to extract money forcibly from the local people.

The bodies of the deceased would be sent to Jhargram hospital for post-mortem, police said.

Meanwhile, the PCPA organised road blockades in different areas of the Jungle Mahal, demanding immediate withdrawal of the combined security forces.

Asit Mahato, convener of the PCPA, said processions with students of different schools would soon start in Muraboni and Ranarani villages in Jhargram to protest the occupation of their school buildings by combined forces.

Unprecedented security arrangements were made in Midnapore Town as all roads and lanes in the town were being guarded by armed police ahead of the Chief Minister's meeting to review the law and order situation and monitor the development activities.

--ANI