Thaindian News

Kolkata, Oct 7 (IANS) Six members of a drug peddling gang, who used to extort money in the guise of Maoists, were arrested Thursday in West Bengal’s ultra-Left-affected West Midnapore district, police said.”Acting on a tipoff, we have arrested six people from Kaju forest near Benageria in Jhargram sub-division. Disguised as Maoists, they used to extort people. We have also recovered cash worth Rs.1.61 lakh, 30 grams of heroin, five mobile phones, SIM cards, firearms and ammunition from them,” Jhargram Police District Superintendent Praveen Tripathi said.

“All are residents of Benageria and Bachurdoba villages of Jhargram area,” said the police chief.

“During investigation, they confessed to carrying out extortion as members of the Maoists’ Jamboni squad. They have also admitted to running a drug peddling racket,” said a senior police officer.

As these parts of the Jhargram area are dominated by the Maoists, local people mistook the accused as Maoists, said the officer.

“The accused used to give a false code number and a mobile number to the people whom they extorted assuring them that no other members of their squad will extort them in future,” said the officer.

“We are interrogating the miscreants to find out other members involved in the crime. They will be produced before the local court Friday,” said Tripathi.