Maoists from Bengal attacked ex-MP,say police

Officials said the rebels,around 10 of them who had melted into the crowd watching the match,spoke in Bengali and shouted Lal Salaam — the Maoists’ slogan — during the attack. They fled into the nearby forest,taking with them the AK-47 rifles of Marndi’s two slain PSOs.

“The nearest West Bengal village is only a half a kilometre away. It is clear that the rebels from across the district border had got information about Marndi’s presence. He was a popular figure and had they killed him others would have been scared,” said IGP (Operations) Sanjib Marik.

District officials said they were sure the Maoists were from West Midnapore,which has the stronghold of Lalgarh.

Mayurbhanj District Collector Pramod Meherda said: “They (the attackers) did not return to Mayurbhanj district.” What has got the district administration worried is that the place in Kuliana block where the attack took place is just about 40 km away from Baripada,the district headquarter town. Kuliana is the latest in the north-west flank of Mayurbhanj to have been affected by Maoist activities. Earlier,Maoist activities have been reported from the blocks of Saraskana,Tiring,Rairangpur and Suliapada as well as few parts of western Mayurbhanj.

Marndi,the 48-year-old state JMM chief,escaped the attack narrowly as he ran through a paddy field and then took a motorcycle ride to Baripada. The three policemen killed were identified as Marndi’s PSOs — havildar Jompa Hembram and constable Rajendra Mahanta — and Assistant Sub Inspector of Chandua police station Narayan Pradhan.

Mayurbhanj SP Dayal Gangwar said the rebels were brutal. They hacked two of the cops after gunning them down. “After gunning down Hembram,they slit his throat. Similarly,Mahanta’s wrist was slit.”

To protest the attack,which is now being probed by the CID,the JMM called a 24-hour bandh in the district.

The state government,meanwhile,said it would review the security for leaders of various political parties. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the home department would provide security to any politician who asks for it. “Strict punishment would be meted out to the assailants,” he said.