Maoists gun down two CPM men in Purulia

Suspected Maoists gunned down two CPM leaders at Balarampur in Purulia on Tuesday evening.

Yudhisthir Mondal, an influential CPM leader who is also vice-president of the Balarampur panchayat samiti, was shot in front of a tea shop around 6.30 pm. Locals said two armed miscreants arrived on a motorcycle and opened fire on Mondal at close range. Mondal sustained four bullet injuries on his chest. He was rushed to a hospital in Jamshedpur in critical condition where he was declared dead.

Moments later, CPM leader and secretary of the Darda local committee in Balarampur, Sitanath Singh Sardar (53), were shot by rebels near Berma village. The area is located on the outskirts of Balarampur town. Sitanath was returning to his Rucha residence from Balarampur on a bicycle when the Maoists intercepted him and gunned him down.

Meanwhile, in West Midnapore, police claimed to have rounded up Subhas Mudi, a member of Maoist leader Sashadhar Mahato’s squad. Police said he was picked up from Bachhurdoba on Monday night. They also claimed that Mudi was the main accused in the murder of a school clerk, Shrikanta Mandal, in Jhargram. He stayed in Jhargram’s Bindukati village.

On September 22, Shrikanta was gunned down in front of Jhargram’s Sebayatan Balika Vidyalaya. A clerical employee at the school, Shrikanta was on his way back after collecting forms for registration of Class IX students when he was attacked.

A resident of Radhanagar, Shrikanta had taken the lead in organizing the villagers against Maoists. It was in Radhanagar from where the Maoists started facing resistance from locals, ending months of dominance. Two days before his murder, the Red rebels had warned Shrikanta against continuing with his anti-Maoist activities.

Two others, Helu and Sabita, also sustained injuries in the attack.

The 30-year old Mudi had seven other murder cases pending against his name. “He led the team that killed Shrikanta. For the People’s Committee against Police Atrocities, he used to organize movements and rallies in Jhargram,” said Pravin Tripathy, Jhargram superintendent of police.

Mudi was produced in the Jhargram sub-divisional court on Tuesday and remanded in two days’ police custody. PCPA leader Joydeb Mahato, however, denied Mudi’s link with the Maoists. “He is a member of PCPA and police are trying to brand him as a Maoist,’ said Mahato.

(http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata-/Maoists-gun-down-two-CPM-men-in-Purulia/articleshow/6777461.cms  20/10/10, The Times of India)