Five Maoists arrested from Kolkata outskirts

In a significant breakthrough, undercover sleuths of West Bengal criminal investigation department (CID) arrested five top-rung Maoist leaders on Tuesday from the southern outskirts of Kolkata.

Neeraj Nayan Pandey, inspector general, CID, said following a tip-off, they raided two residences at Amtala and Garia in South 24 Parganas district and nabbed the five.

CID sources said the prize catch was Madhusudan Mondal alias Narayan, one of the most trusted lieutenants of underground Maoist leader Koteshwar Rao alias Kishenji.

“Narayan was in-charge of Nandigram in East Midnapore district, which saw a virtual civil war throughout 2007 over proposed land acquisition for a chemical hub,” a senior CID officer said.

Narayan acted as a key linkman between Maoists and the Trinamool Congress-led Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh (land eviction resistance) Committee, he claimed.

“In fact, during the bloody struggle, Kishenji visited Nandigram a number of times and Narayan arranged for his accommodation,” he said.

The other arrested are Rajesh Mondal, Sachin Ghosal, Siddhartha and Sanjay.