Two held for Maoist links

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Aug 16: Two persons were arrested from Rangapukur village under Bamongola police station here, the Malda SP, Mr Dilip Mondal, said today. The duo have been identified as Hopna Tudu and Lodhia Tudu, who allegedly used to provide shelter to Maoist activists operating in this region on a regular basis. “We arrested them on the charge of providing shelter to Maoist activists here, who collect subscription forcibly from local residents,” said Mr Dilip Mondal, Malda SP. “A few days ago, the activists had collected subscription from the government doctors working at the Modipukur health centre in Bamongola police station area,” Mr Mondal said. Mr Mondal added that police was on the lookout for two other Maoist activists operating here. One of them Jishnu alias Gora, was arrested from Malda town by Midnapore police a year ago. Another activist is Noor Mohammad, the Malda SP stated. A Maoist group is operating in Bamongola and Habibpur areas of late, he said. He said police have recovered certain leaflets from the houses of the duo arrested yesterday and have decided to take them under police custody seeking court order to know about the whereabouts of other Maoist activists. Six years ago, People’s War Group was formed at Harishchandrapur village here which started operating in the tribal belts. The area from where the police arrested the two suspected Maoist linkmen is dominated by the KPP and the KLO activists.