Villagers allegedly lynched a Maoist leader in West Bengal's West Midnapore district Saturday, police said.
The ultra Hemanta Mahato, associated with the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (a frontal organisation of the red rebels), was beaten to death when he returned to his village Nedabahara under Jhargram police district.
"He had been on the run since 2011 when the ultras suffered setbacks in the area. As soon as news of his arrival spread, the villagers engaged into an altercation with him which snowballed into Mahato being lynched," said a police officer.
Mahato had reportedly come back to the village to participate in a protest rally against the arrest of (gram panchayat) village head member and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Sukumar Murmu.
Mahato was wanted in several cases related to the Maoist upsurge in Lalgarh of West Midnapore district in 2008-10. However, despite several raids, the police had not been able to arrest him.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app