Lalgarh, June 17
Thirteen persons, including three intellectuals, arrested for alleged links with Maoists in West Bengal’s West Midnapore district have been remanded by a court to judicial custody for 14 days.
The 13, who have been booked for waging war against the state and charged under various sections of penal code, were produced in a court in the Jhargram district.
West Midnapore SP, Monoj Verma, said all three city intellectuals — scientist Nisha Biswas, college teacher Kaniska Chowdhury and writer Manik Mandal — went to the villages to meet Maoists and leaders of their frontal body People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA).
They were also present in a kangaroo court besides providing financial help to the rebel outfit.
CPI-Maoist spokesperson Khokon, however, denied any link with the three intellectuals. “We never met them and have no links with them. The government is trying to gag the voice of people who are trying to find out the actual condition at Lalgarh,” he said. — IANS
