Four killed in Bengal during Maoist bandh

Four persons, including a woman, were shot dead by suspected Maoists in West Midnapore district during the 24-hour shutdown called by the ultras against the US President Barack Obama's visit while a Naxal camp was busted and a huge cache of weapons and landmines seized after a gunfight in Bankura district today.

Motorcycle borne assailants gunned down Kanai Ray, a former CPI-M panchayat pradhan at Patashimul gram panchayet in the afternoon, officials said.

Three others identified as Rashbehari Mahato, Sandhya Mahato, and Sheikh Wajed Ali were abducted by gun-toting persons last night from Kishmatganakata village, in Jhargram subdivision and their bullet-riddled bodies were found on the road nearby this morning, officials said.

Rashbehari Mahato was a local expert on chou dance, while Ali was an employee of the BDO office, they said.

All three were Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) supporters, with Rashbehari Mahato being a member of the party's local committee, they said.

The woman, Sandhya Mahato, was killed because her son was in the CRPF and she had been warned that he should leave the force, the officials said. Her husband was also missing.

In Bankura district, the joint forces in an encounter with Maoists, busted a Maoist camp at Lithla forest in the Ranibandh police station area, from which a large number of weapons and landmines were seized, police said.

Superintendent of police (SP), Pranab Kumar, was at the spot.

Purulia SP Rajesh Yadav said that the bandh was peaceful and in his district and had partial effect.