13 held in West Bengal for alleged Maoist links

KOLKATA - Thirteen people, including two Kolkata-based professors, were Tuesday arrested for their alleged links with Maoists in West Bengal’s West Midnapore district, police said.

Two city-based professors - Nisha Biswas and Kanishka Chowdhury, a teacher identified as Modhusudan and an editor of a local magazine Manik Mondal - were arrested along with other villagers from Kantapahari area under Lalgarh police station, about 200 km west of here, said Superintendent of Police (West Midnapore) Manoj Verma.

“They were arrested on charges of violating prohibitory orders banning assembly of more than two people at a time,” he said.

“We came to know that the group came to the village three days back and met a second rung leader of Communist Party of India-Maoists. They also attended the proceedings of a Maoist kangaroo court,” Verma added.

A senior police officer said: “The city-based group and some other members of the forum had close links with Maoists. They even maintained regular contact with Maoist cadres operating in West Bengal.”

“We have collected evidence regarding their contacts with Maoists,” he added.

Earlier in the day, a group of six people hailing from Kolkata including two journalists, professors and members of Lalgarh Sanghati Manch - a forum supporting the cause of Lalgarh movement - were detained from Kantapahari area, police sources said.

While conducting routine patrol, joint security forces detained the group along with 49 villagers from Mathurapur, Lakhanpur, Hatilit, Delashuli and Gagra villages near Pirakata for their alleged links with Maoists.

All of them were handed over to the police and after interrogation, the two journalists and 40 villagers were let off, Verma said.