Thaindian News

Kolkata, March 12 (IANS) The outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist Saturday put up banners in West Bengal’s West Midnapore district protesting the killing of their leader Sashadhar Mahato in a “false encounter”, police said.

“Several banners and posters put up by the Maoists were found in Jhargram area. The banners say Mahato was killed in a false encounter (staged shootout) with police,” said a senior police official.

Some of the banners carried threats against the police officers who were involved in the killing, he added.

“We were informed about these banners and posters in some places of Jhargram. Police personnel have rushed to the spot,” said Mukesh Kumar, West Midnapore additional police superintendent.

The Maoists have called for a 48-hour shutdown in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and Orissa from Sunday to protest the “killing” of its commander Sashadhar Mahato.

According to police, he was killed in a shootout with the security personnel near Jamboni in Jhargram sub-division of West Midnapore district March 10.

Police also said Anil Mahato, younger brother of Sashadhar Mahato, met his other brother Chhatradhar Mahato, convenor of pro-Maoist tribal body Peoples’ Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA), at the Midnapore Correctional Home.

“Anil told Chhatradhar that he could not identify the killed rebel to be Sashadhar. He asked Chhatradhar to do the identification on behalf of the family,” said an official of the correctional home.