Maoists call shutdown in three West Bengal districts

October 3rd, 2009 KOLKATA - A 24-hour nation-wide shutdown called by Maoist rebels demanding the release of arrested tribal leader Chhatradhar Mahato and the withdrawal of joint forces from Lalgarh hit normal life Saturday in three West Bengal districts - Bankura, Purulia and West Midnapore. According to sources, vehicular transport stayed off the roads and most shops and markets were closed in the three districts Saturday.

September 30th, 2009 KOLKATA - A Maoist sponsored 48-hour shutdown disrupted normal life in West Bengal on Wednesday. Shops, educational institutions and business establishments remained closed in Jangalmahal area of West Midnapore district.

September 30th, 2009 KOLKATA - Three Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) activists were shot dead by suspected Maoist guerrillas in West Bengal's West Midnapore district, police said Wednesday. "We've information that bodies of three CPI-M activists were found near Kadashol forest area this morning.

September 28th, 2009 KOLKATA - The West Bengal government Monday sounded a high alert in three Maoist-affected districts following the arrest of People's Committee against Police Atrocity (PCAPA) leader Chattradhar Mahato Saturday. "We've alerted the police and the district administration and asked them to be prepared for any untoward incident and retaliation by the Maoists extremists," West Bengal Chief Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborty told reporters here.

August 24th, 2009 Indo-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA - A two-day shutdown called by the Maoists in five states beginning Monday, to demand the release of two of its arrested members, had negligible impact in West Bengal, police said. "The shutdown hardly (had an) impact on the normal life in three West Bengal districts - Bankura, Purulia and West Midnapore - which are considered as Maoist strongholds in the state," Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Surajit Kar Purakayastha told IANS.

August 23rd, 2009 KOLKATA - Two people were killed by suspected Maoist rebels in a tribal-dominated West Bengal district even as the security forces are gearing up to combat the two-day shutdown called by the Left extremists from Monday in the state. The Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) called for a two-day shutdown in five eastern Indian states - West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh - to demand release of two of its cadres allegedly arrested by Bihar police Aug 19.

August 18th, 2009 KOLKATA - An indefinite shutdown called by Maoists to protest police excesses began in the three tribal-dominated West Bengal districts of Bankura, Purulia and West Midnapore Tuesday. The shutdown is supported by the People's Committee against Police Atrocity (PCAPA) that is also demanding the withdrawal of troops from troubled Lalgarh.

August 18th, 2009 KOLKATA - Normal life was partially affected in three tribal-dominated districts of West Bengal Tuesday following an indefinite shutdown called by the Maoists to protest alleged police excesses on the villagers. The shutdown received a good response in the rural belts of Bankura, Purulia and West Midnapore districts, particularly in Maoist strongholds.

July 22nd, 2009 KOLKATA - A Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) activist was shot dead Wednesday by suspected Maoists in West Bengal's Belpahari region, police said. "Phagu Baskey was working in the fields this (Wednesday) morning near Belpahari area in West Midnapore district when a group of Maoist rebels killed him," police superintendent M.K Verma told IANS.

July 19th, 2009 KOLKATA - As the three-day shut-down called by People's Committee against Police Atrocities began on Sunday, normal life was severely affected in three districts of West Bengal, officials said. The bandh is being observed in Jangal Mahal region comprising tribal areas of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia districts.

July 18th, 2009 KOLKATA - A tribal group spearheading a protest against police excesses in Lalgarh in West Bengal has called a 72-hour shutdown in three Maoist-affected districts from Sunday to protest the state government's month-long operation against the rebels in the region. People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) leader Lalmohan Tudu told IANS: "Innocent people are being tortured every now and then in Lalgarh during the security forces' operations.

June 23rd, 2009 RAIPUR - Day two of the 48-hour shutdown called by Maoists hit life in several parts of Chhattisgarh Tuesday with guerrillas blocking roads and disrupting traffic on key highways. Though life remained unaffected on Monday and no incidents of violence were reported, police said the shutdown impacted life in Bastar bordering Orissa and Andhra Pradesh and in northern Surguja that shares a border with Jharkhand state.

June 23rd, 2009 KOLKATA - Suspected Maoists torched offices of West Bengal's ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) as normal life in rebel strongholds continued to be disrupted Tuesday on the second day of the shutdown against security operations in Lalgarh. Vehicular traffic kept off the streets, shops and markets were closed and people remained indoors in large parts of the three western districts - Bankura, Purulia and West Midnapore - where the Maoists have a strong base.

June 22nd, 2009 KOLKATA - Security was heightened throughout West Bengal Monday as a 48-hour Maoist shutdown to protest operations in Lalgarh came into force with a partial response in the three districts where the left radicals have their sphere of influence. Buses and other vehicles were seen in fewer numbers, while shops and business establishments remained closed in several areas of the West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia districts.

June 22nd, 2009 KOLKATA - Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Monday accused West Bengal's ruling Left Front of being in cahoots with the Maoists saying the Communists had used the rebels to win the polls in the western districts. "The Left used Maoists to rig the elections and now they are saying Maoists helped the Trinamool.