Kishenji injured,Bengal Maoists get new boss

The report indicates that frequent encounters with security forces and tighter police surveillance have forced Maoists to shift their core operational base from the Lalgarh-Belpahari area in West Midnapore to the Ayodhya hills of Purulia. This area is currently not covered by the security forces.

Zulfiqar Hassan,IG,Western Range,confirmed reports that the Maoists had shifted base. “Some kind of activity has been reported from the area indicating that the Maoists are preparing a strong base in Purulia,” he said.

Hembram a.k.a. Anantada is from Binpur in Jhargram,and is popular among tribals. A Maoist regional and state committee member,Hembram is prime accused in the November 2008 Salboni attack. He was also named in the attack on a police camp in Bandwan in Purulia in 2005.

Intelligence agencies believe after the Salboni incident,Hembram moved to Jharkhand and led the Gorabandha and Dalma squads. He has now been asked to return and take charge in Bengal.

“Since Kishenji is no longer mobile and cannot supervise the movement directly,the CPI (Maoist) central committee asked Dwijen to return to Bengal,organise the cadres and relocate the base to a safer place,” said a police officer.

According to the officer,the CC had initially picked Sabyasachi Panda,in-charge of Orissa,to handle operations in Bengal. But Panda found it difficult to shuttle between three states and was also not experienced in handling Bengal,where the Maoists are also up against CPM cadres besides the security forces.