Maoists expanding base in S Bengal

Statesman News Service

KOLKATA, 25 AUG: Documents seized from Maoist hideouts in Lalgarh during joint operations reveal that it has set up six Zonal Committees (ZCs) in the state so far and at least five more will come up in south Bengal districts.

Representation from West Bengal in the outfit’s Central Committee (CC) and Politburo has also increased, according to information available to the state and central police organisations.

The outfit is also planning to set up more units in districts including Nadia, Burdwan, Murshidabad, Hooghly and Birbhum.

The CPI (Maoist) will be setting up two ZCs in Nadia and Murshidabad shortly, an officer said adding that another unit will be established to spread Maoist activities in Arambag, Khanakul and Goghat (Hooghly) and Chandrokona, Ghatal (West Midnapore).

Calcutta link to Maoist behind bandh

One of the five trucks that was set on fire by Maoist rebels on Tuesday. Picture by Prashant Mitra

Aug. 25: The two Maoist leaders whose arrest has triggered a violent bandh in several eastern states hail from Bengal, police said today, announcing a sequence that did not tally with events on the ground.

The duo — Amitabh Bagchi, a CPI (Maoist) politburo member and secretary of the central military commission of the outfit, and Tauhid Mulla, a Bengal state committee member — are from Shyampukur in Calcutta and Murshidabad, respectively, the police said.

They were arrested last night at Ranchi railway station on their way back from Bengal, Jharkhand police said today. However, the 48-hour Maoist bandh in five states to force the police to produce the two in court, fearing encounter deaths, was announced and had begun on Monday morning itself, several hours before the purported evening arrests.

Lalgarh: Teen released after PCPA gherao

MIDNAPORE: Bhimpur in Salboni turned tense on Tuesday morning after the Maoist-backed People’s Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA) gheraoed the Bhimpur police camp, demanding the release of Tukai Mahato (15), a Madhyamik student. Police released him after the PCPA stir.

Trouble started when the joint forces, pursuing an intelligence report, launched an operation at Purba Patajharia, Balibandh and Neria villages in Salboni at 6 am to nab Maoists. But the large contingent of BSF jawans and policemen failed to nab a single Maoist squad member. Then, they allegedly zeroed in on local PCPA leaders, but they had already fled on hearing about the arrival of police. The joint forces then searched the house of PCPA leader Prasanta Mahato and his two brothers, Harisadhan and Tapan, but did not find any evidence of Maoist links.

On their way back, police took Tukai, Harisadhan’s son, with them. As the news spread, more than 5,000 PCPA supporters, including women, gheraoed the Bhimpur police camp,

demanding the “innocent student” be released. When the mob tried to enter the police camp forcibly and broke a part of the fencing, cops resorted to a lathicharge. Twelve people, including five women, were injured.

PCPA workers who gheraoed the police camp demanding the release of the teenage student feared that “false charges” would be slapped on him. They also demanded that the police camp be withdrawn.

A senior district officer said: “So far, we have found out that boys in the age-group of 15-18 years have been used by Maoists in various operations, including murder. So, we picked up Tukai for interrogation, but released him as we found nothing.”

Maoist bandh brings Midnapore to a halt

Despite a mixed response in Bankura and Purulia, the 48-hour bandh called by the CPI(Maoist) paralysed life in Jhargram sub-division and Midnapore town in West Midnapore district on Monday. The outfit had called for a 48-hour bandh in five states, including West Bengal, in protest against the arrest of a leader in Jharkhand, who was not produced in court in due time.

The People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCPA) is also observing a bandh since August 18 in the three districts of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia demanding the withdrawal of the joint forces from Lalgarh.

The two bandhs paralysed life in Midnapore town and Jhargram sub-division in West Midnapore, Khatra sub-division in Bankura and rural areas in Purulia. West Midnapore DM, N S Nigam, said government establishments, schools, colleges and banks remained closed and public transport has also been hit since August 18.

Bankura DM Golam Ali Ansari said normal life was affected in Khatra sub-division following the bandh. There were no buses on roads but few schools were open in Khatra, said Ansari.

The bandh saw a mixed response in Purulia, as shops and government offices remained open in Purulia town but normal life was affected due to lack of transport services, said a district official in Purulia.

CPI Maoist PB Member arrested in Jharkhand

Ranchi, Aug 25 (IANS) Ranchi Police Tuesday confirmed that they have arrested two top Maoist leaders. The Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) had called a two-day shutdown in five states to demand the release of the two leaders.

“Two top Maoist leaders were arrested Monday evening from the Ranchi railway station. The arrested Maoist leaders are Amitabh Bagchi alias Anil and Taufid Mullah alias Kartik,” Deputy Inspector General of Police (Ranchi range) R.K. Mallik told reporters here Tuesday evening.

He denied that the two were arrested Aug 19 as claimed by the outlawed CPI-Maoist. Anil is a politburo member and Kartik, a state committee member of the CPI-Maoist.

Both were presented before a Ranchi court and they have been taken on remand by the police.

CPI-Maoist has called two days strike in five states – Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar, West Bengal and Chattisgarh to protest the arrest of Anil and Kartik.

Maoist strike affected life in rural parts of the state Tuesday. No long-route buses were plying in Jharkhand.

Maoist guerrillas are active in 18 of the 24 districts of Jharkhand. Nearly 1,500 people have been killed in Maoist-related violence in the last eight years.

Biihar: Maoist numbers beat cops

OUR BUREAU

Patna/Ranchi, Aug. 23: The sheer strength of numbers helped Maoists pull off the fatal attack on a patrol team in Jamui on Bihar-Jharkhand border last night, senior police officers have conceded.

Armed with rifles, bombs and sickles, more than 60 rebels ambushed a six-member Special Auxiliary Police (SAP) force near Sonobazaar, killing four, including assistant sub-inspector Abdul Kalam. A fifth jawan died in hospital today. The Nitish Kumar government has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the kin of the deceased SAP personnel.

The Bihar and Jharkhand police have mounted a joint operation in Jamui and its surrounding areas. The body of a Maoist, identified as Naresh Yadav, has been recovered from the spot, triggering speculation that the rebels, too, may have suffered heavy casualties.

Stand With the Struggling Masses of Lalgarh, CPRCI (ML) Statement

The purpose of the current much-trumpeted operation by the paramilitary forces in Lalgarh region of West Midnapore (West Bengal), is to suppress the democratic upsurge of the tribals and to send out a warning to all oppressed sections against any attempt to similarly challenge the State authority and establish people’s authority. It is also part of the ruling classes’ systematic long-planned attack on the communist revolutionaries nationwide who are challenging the entire system of exploitation and oppression. For these reasons it is incumbent on all communist revolutionaries and revolutionary democrats to stand steadfast by the tribals of Lalgarh, oppose the State’s campaign of suppression, and uphold the right of the masses to rebel against the existing oppressive social, economic and political order and set up their own popular authority. Whatever the differences of tactical line among the communist revolutionaries, they stand united and with the revolutionary masses against the enemy onslaught.

Manipur, once more

KALPANA SHARMA

While the rest of India celebrated 62 years of independence, the women were out on the streets of Manipur, yet again, to protest the latest State atrocities.

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It is imperative that we are at least educated about what is happening in a State like Manipur…The first step towards engagement is information.

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Photo: Sandeep Saxena

An ongoing struggle: Women staging a protest in Delhi.

While the rest of India celebrated its 62nd year as an independent country, in its northeast corner there was little to celebrate. On July 23, “an ordinary day” in the Manipur capital, Imphal — if indeed there is such a thing as an “ordinary day” — Rabina Devi, a pregnant woman, was going to the market when she was shot dead as the police chased a young man. At the same time, a “suspected militant” was pushed into a pharmacy and shot. The police claimed he had shot at them. But the fake “encounter” killing was captured by a photographer (who is petrified of being discovered) and leaked to the magazine Tehelka. The 12 pictures are a damning indictment as they clearly show an unarmed Chongkham Sanjit being pushed into the pharmacy and then being brought out dead and loaded onto a truck. All this happened in a crowded market place in broad daylight (at 10.30 a.m.).

Orissa: Anti POSCO leader Abhay shaoo released on conditional bail

Report by Amarnath Parida; Jagatsinghpur: Anti POSCO leader cum president of Posco Pratirodha Sangram Samiti Mr Abhaya Shaoo who had been languishing in jail since ten months has finally released on conditional bail in Orissa High Court bringing joy and happiness among the affected people for Posco steel project on Thursday.

PPSS leader Mr Abhaya Shaoo who had been spearheading Posco movement in Dhinkia panchyat since three years and took key role to paralyze the installation of Posco steel project was arrested by Paradip police on 2 th October in 2008 while he was returning to Dhinkia village with his son after spending Dusherra festival in Hyderabad. His son Abhijeet Shaoo had sought the intervention of chairperson, State Human Right Commission for releasing his father because police had arrested him on false case.

Kujang police registered 36 cases against Mr Shaoo for his involvement in kidnapping, illegal possession of arms, bomb explosion, and dacoit case, setting fire in houses, assault and humiliation to women, violence, and other criminal activities in proposed Posco areas. Out of 36 cases, 11 cases were pending in Orissa High Court and 25 cases at Judicial Magistrate First Class, Kujang . Earlier, he had released from jail 10 cases from High Court and 25 cases from JMFC while one case was pending at Orissa High Court.

State Media Claim 6 Naxalites killed, VCA Gives the Real Story of State Brutality

Unofficial Translation

12 Aug 2009Navbharat

Amidst criticism of the lack of coordination among them, CRPF, district Police and STF, in a comprehensive campaign against naxalites, were able to successfully destroy a Naxalite camp in the border areas of Dantewada and Bijapur districts in South Bastar, and as a result killed six naxalites. Corpses of four of the naxalites have been recovered. However, owing to pouring rain, the other two corpses floated away in the water of a nearby canal and were lost. Included in these is the corpse of a female commander. During the operation, around half a dozen suspects were also apprehended. For the first time, a helicopter was used to detect the presence of Naxalites in this two day anti-Naxal operation. The forces covered a distance of 40 km on foot, and it is then they were able to achieve this spectacular success. This operation has been christened ‘Green Hunt‘. IG T.J. Langkumer has congratulated the soldiers who participated in this successful campaign. According to sources, this operation was launched in the 700 square kilometer forest reserve area of Bhairamgarh, which encompasses Bhasi, Bachaili, Kirandul, Bhairamgarh, Mirtur and in the hilly areas of the Gangalur station. This combined campaign included 12 companies of the CRPF.

Himanshu Kumar of Vanvasi Chetna Ashram comments on the above news item

Police claimed on 12th August that they had killed six dreaded naxalites in an encounter near Bhairamgarh reserve forest & they named it operation ‘Green Hunt’. According to the police sources, this operation included CRPF, dist police & STF of both Dantewada & Bijapur districts. Police sources further claimed that they had smashed a naxal camp. As per preliminary reports received from tribes of these villages, in fact these forces reached Vechapal village first to teach them a lesson for daring to speak a month back about burning& looting of their houses & rape, killing of their fellow villagers. This time these forces captured all the houses of Vechapal village & made holes in the walls to use them as bunkers. Forces stayed in the village for three days. All the tribals of the village fled the forest during the period. Police forces fired mortar grenades on fleeing tribals killing one boy Modu s/o Bhima. They caught two boys of Ettepad village while they were going to participate in a cock fight at Hurrepal village. They caught two more tribals of Kawadgaon. These forces also caught one women named Somali of village Tinenar and on 11th of August when these forces went back they killed all five people whom they had caught alive and killed them on the way back to the police station. They threw Somali’s dead body in a stream on the way near Cherli village. Villagers recovered her naked corpse, suspecting rape before she was killed.

We request a national level fact finding team to investigate into this matter & bring out the truth.

Himanshu Kumar
Dantewada- Chhattisgarh
9425260031

‘We are fighting for our lives and our dignity’

John Vidal 13 June 2009 The Guardian

Across the globe, as mining and oil firms race for dwindling resources, indigenous peoples are battling to defend their lands – often paying the ultimate price

It has been called the world’s second “oil war”, but the only similarity between Iraq and events in the jungles of northern Peru over the last few weeks has been the mismatch of force. On one side have been the police armed with automatic weapons, teargas, helicopter gunships and armoured cars. On the other are several thousand Awajun and Wambis Indians, many of them in war paint and armed with bows and arrows and spears.

In some of the worst violence seen in Peru in 20 years, the Indians this week warned Latin America what could happen if companies are given free access to the Amazonian forests to exploit an estimated 6bn barrels of oil and take as much timber they like. After months of peaceful protests, the police were ordered to use force to remove a road bock near Bagua Grande.

Karnataka: Police open fire at ‘naxalites’ near Sringeri

Correspondent

CHIKMAGALUR: The police fired at a group of suspected naxalites camping in the forests near Nemmar, about 8 km from Sringeri, at about 1.15 p.m. on Friday. Acting on specific information, the police conducted the raid.

The group fled and there is speculation that some members of the group might have been injured in the firing.The police have recovered 50 rounds of ammunition, two grenades, gelatine sticks and handbills from two tents at the spot.

According to sources, the group, which included women, could have had six members as six pairs of footwear were left behind by the departing group.

Combing intensified

The police intensified combing operations in the area in the past few days as the naxalites had become more daring and visited the houses of two farmers in the area in the past fortnight.