Kolkata, December 17
Six persons, including a village pradhan, were gunned down by Maoists at Jhalda in Purulia last night. According to information, about a dozen Maoists carrying AK-47 rifles and other weapons attacked Jhalda village and abducted six Forward Bloc workers from their houses. Those abducted included a woman and the village pradhan. Their bodies were later found on the Purulia-Jhalda road.

West Bengal Home Secretary GD Gautam said a search operation had been launched by the paramilitary forces to nab the culprits. Forward Bloc general secretary Ashok Ghose alleged that though there was a police post near the village, no cops came to the villagers’ rescue.

Meanwhile, CID officer Partha Biswas and a school teacher who were allegedly kidnapped by Maoists during their visit to Ayadhya Hills on October 22 still remain untraced.