West Bengal Timeline 2014

Date

Incidents

January 24

Two days before the Republic Day, the CPI-Maoist announced its presence in Burdwan District of West Bengal by issuing an "open letter" calling upon the people to join them in overthrowing the Indian state through an armed struggle.

A senior CPI-Maoist leader, Anup Roy, was arrested by the Special Task Force of the Kolkata Police from the Sealdah area of Kolkata District.

Two CPI-Maoist cadres surrendered before West Bengal Police along with their arms in an unspecified location.

A joint team of CRPF and State Police arrested a CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Jagan Tudu from Shiyarbinda village of Belpahari area of West Medinipur and seized a large cache of arms and ammunition.

Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres opened fire at the SDPO of Jhargram Police District. SDPO, Vivek Verma, was returning from work around Belpahari in the same District when bullets were fired at his car.

Two gelatin sticks fitted with detonators were recovered from a main road, about six km from the venue of TMC chairperson and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's rally at Suri in Birbhum District.

Police seized 500 detonators and 600 gelatin sticks from a car near Tetulgram village under Kotshila Police Station of Purulia District of West Bengal and arrested two persons, identified as Subal Mahato and Jaladhar Dwari.

July 15

CPI-Maoist 'state committee member' Anup Roy, who is lodged in Presidency Correctional Home and on a fast-unto-death protest for the last six days, is demanding political 'prisoner status' for himself. Roy was arrested in January 2014.

After fasting for more than a week to get a writ petition filed in the Calcutta High Court, alleged CPI-Maoist leader Anup Roy ended his hunger strike at Presidency Correctional Centre in Kolkata, West Bengal.

A top CPI-Maoist leader, identified as Arvind Bachhar, who was arrested from Baduria in North 24 Parganas District has been sent to 14 days' judicial custody by a local court in Jhargram District of West Bengal in a sedition case on July 30.

Five posters of the PLGA, the armed wing of the CPI-Maoist, were found pasted on trees near Chhoto Urma Railway Station in Purulia District of West Bengal. In the posters, the PLGA urged the people to join the organisation and denounced the Central and State Governments.

The Purulia zilla parishad is not getting contractors to construct a road across the forest hamlets in Purulia District of West Bengal as no one is willing to take up the work because of CPI-Maoist threats in the area. In order to facilitate the movement of the force and provide for the people of Ayodhya Hills a better conveyance system, the administration had decided to construct a metal road through the forest. Though the detailed project report is ready, the District administration cannot go ahead with the project due to Maoist threats. IGP (western range), Siddhinath Gupta, said, "There is information that Maoist activities in this area have increased and they are frequenting the hilly terrains of Purulia and even some pockets of West Midnapore."

Hinting that CPI-Maoist is trying to regroup in the Junglemahal area of West Bengal, CRPF officers said paramilitary forces are keeping a close watch on inputs about movement of various Maoist leaders in the area. "I won't say that Maoists are not trying to regroup in Bengal. We get inputs that Maoists leader Ranjit Pal and others are moving here and there in Junglemahal," IG (CRPF) West Bengal sector Vivek Sahay told reporters. "We are on high alert. We have our six battalions placed here. But let me tell you one thing, the situation in Junglemahal is much better than it was two-three years back," Sahay said.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee met UHM Rajnath Singh and discussed with him the Bardhaman blast and other issues concerning the state. Official sources said that during the 30-minute meeting, Banerjee briefed the home minister regarding the prevailing law and order in West Bengal.

Two CPI-Maoist posters appeared on trees in Bandhghra area in West Midnapore District of West Bengal, but Police claimed those were put up by some local miscreants to extort money. The posters, giving warning to local people, were seen in Chatnisole and Deuldanga villages, SP Bharati Ghosh said. "These posters were not put up by Maoists as they have no presence in the area. Some miscreants have done it to extort money from the villagers," she said.

Several CPI-Maoist posters, some threatening an armed movement against the Birlas, were put up outside the Hind Motor plant gate in West Bengal. The car factory has been shut since July, 2014. Residents of houses around the factory and a slum nearby spotted the posters in the morning and informed the Police.