Maoists kill CPI-M worker in West Bengal

KOLKATA - A Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) worker was shot dead by Maoists in West Bengal’s West Midnapore district, police said Saturday.

“The locals informed about the bullet-ridden body of Bablu Mahato (a local CPI-M worker) lying in Beliabera village in Jhargram sub-division of the district,” said West Midnapore Additional Police Superintendent (operation) Mukesh Kumar.

“Maoists’ posters were recovered from the spot, which read that Bablu was killed for acting as a police informer,” Kumar told IANS over phone.

The victim’s family alleged that a group of six-eight Maoist cadres raided their house late Friday night. Bablu was dragged out, taken to a forest and killed, said Kumar.

Meanwhile, two firearms, 20 rounds of cartridges and explosives were recovered from a Jharkhand party activist’s house in Hansda in Jhargram sub-division.

“Acting on specific inputs, we raided Rajesh Mahato’s house and recovered the arms and ammunition,” said Kumar.

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