Maoists kill police officer, abduct two in West Midnapore India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Maoists killed a sub-inspector and abducted two others, when they attacked Sankrail Police Station in West Bengal’s West Midnapore district on Tuesday. According to initial reports, the killed sub-inspector has been identified as Dibakar Bhattacharya, while abducted officers are officer-in-charge Atindranath Datta and Assistant Sub-Inspector Swapan Roy. The Maoists also targeted a bank next to the police station and left behind posters demanding release of their two leaders Kobad Ghandy and Chatrodhar Mahato, who were arrested by law enforcement authorities in New Delhi and West Bengal respectively earlier in September. Earlier in the day, Koteshwar Rao, leader of the banned Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), claimed that the Maoists have launched their fight back in retaliation to the West Bengal Government's offensive against them. Rao further said that they would release all the abducted policemen if their demands were accepted by the Government, on the other hand he also warned that the Government could expect more killings if their demands were not acceded to. Maoists have ignored repeated calls to renounce violence and negotiate across the table. They have also stepped up their attacks during the past few past months, prompting the Government to go after them in a concerted strike.