CPI(M) men kidnapped in West Midnapore

The three were local committee members of the CPI(M) and were abducted in retaliation to the kidnap of a PCPA supporter allegedly by marxists yesterday, they said.

Last night, another local committee member Dilip Mahato (40) was kidnapped from his home at Manidaha village in the area and shot dead by Maoists. His home was also set ablaze, they said.

Meanwhile, the indefinite bandh called by the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCPA) from October 27 was withdrawn yesterday.

PCPA supporters had on Tuesday seized the Bhubaneswar-Delhi Rajdhani Express at Banstala in the district but it was freed by security forces after a five-hour hostage drama. All passengers were safe.

The district has been witnessing unrest since November last year against alleged police atrocities at Lalgarh.

The agitation started after police raided the homes of tribals shortly after West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and then union ministers Ram Vilas Paswan and Jitin Prasada narrowly escaped a landmine blast at Salboni.

The PCPA under the leadership of Chhatradhar Mahato had "liberated" Lalgarh and had free run for nine months before the central forces and the local police recaptured the areas.