A day after the West Bengal Government struck a deal with the CPI(Maoist) to free its alleged activists from jail for the release of an abducted police officer, a section of the CPM, which has been at the receiving end of Maoist violence, came out against the deal.

Amiya Patra, CPM’s Bankura district committee secretary, said: “We will have to face resentment from our cadres because Maoists are killing our people. How many police personnel are being killed?” said Patra. “The police could have sacrificed one and then the fight against the Maoists would have been stronger,” said Patra.

Commenting on the swap, CPM’s state secretary Biman Bose said: “The state government is liable for whatever action the state administration has taken in securing the release of the officer from captivity. I have nothing to say.” Party sources said Bankura, West Midnapore and Purulia district committees are putting pressure on the government for a total battle against the Maoists.

“Why has the government surrendered when Maoists, including Kishenji, were surrounded by the joint forces? Why has the government bowed its head to the armed Maoists?” said a senior party leader.

Top police officers confirmed that they had surrounded the Maoist squad that had abducted Atindranath Dutta, the officer-in-charge of the Sankrail police station, when they got a call from Kolkata to call off the operation. The police commando team had tracked cellphone calls to zero in on the group.

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