Maoists breathing down city’s neck

KOLKATA, Feb. 25: The CPI (Maoist) has initiated a drive to spread its network in the city and its outskirts and the outfit has brought some youths and students from premier educational institutions like Presidency College under its fold in the last two years.
A senior Criminal Investigation Department officer, who interrogated the state secretary of the CPI (Maoist), Himadri Sen Roy alias Somen, said this today. Meanwhile, sleuths belonging to the CID raided some places near Rajarhat, Moyna, Nabapally and Anandapalli areas in North 24-Parganas. No fresh arrest has been reported today.
The officer said, Maoist outfit has formed some mass organisations in the city and its neighbouring districts to intensify anti-land acquisition movements. "Lower rung leaders of the CPI (Maoist) have been monitoring the functions of these mass organisations. Those who had put up Maoist posters at the Writers’ Building last month have been identified, following interrogation of Somen," he said.
A CID officer said, Somen had masterminded the killing of CPI-M leaders Rabi Kar and Mahendra Mahato in Purulia, Barikul officer-in-charge Prabal Sengupta in Bankura and Burdwan officer-in-charge Nilmadhab Das in Purulia.
“We have certain reports he had ordered the killing of CPI-M leader and school headmaster Karamchand Singh in West Midnapore's Belpahari area on 22 February,” a senior CID officer said.
Somen came into active politics when ‘Cal Steel Factory’, a steel manufacturing company located in Khardah, North 24-Parganas was shut down. Initially he was an active member of the CPI-M like many of his contemporaries, but he later joined the Naxalite movement and was arrested by the police in 1972.
After being released, he became a member of the People's War Group and then the CPI (Maoist), which came into being after the PWG was wound up. He took charge of the West Bengal operation of CPI (Maoist) and held the post of general secretary of the party's state unit for the last three years.
Somen had stayed in Howrah for a few months for formation of some social organisations to fight against the state machinery. Police expect they would be able to catch more members of the CPI (Maoist) within a few days. Police came to know Somen's two party colleagues live at Bhimpur village near Jangipara in Hooghly. Their residences were raided yesterday, but they couldn't be arrested. The Maiosts have been capitalising Singur and Nandigram issues to attract students and youths, the officer said.
The CID officers are going through the list of the suspected Maoist activists in the state, which was prepared by senior IPS officer, Mr Ajoy Nand in 2005 when he was the superintendent of Midnapore West district. Officers of the city police's special branch have been informed about the strategy of the CPI (Maoist). The city police have been asked to maintain vigil on some students of Calcutta University, Jadavpur University and some colleges including Presidency College.