Five Maoists were arrested on Thursday from various areas of the state, the West Bengal police said. "Acting on a tip-off, joint forces raided the forest near Lakshmanpur of Lalgarh and arrested three Maoist cadre including Dilip Mahato," Superintendent of Police, Manoj Verma told reporters in Midnapore. "Mahato is a top Maoist leader and is an accused in the abduction of former Officer-in-Charge of Sankrail police station, Atindranath Dutta," he said.
Along with him, two others - Lakshmikanta Soren, Babulal Tudu - were also arrested from the spot. They are residents of Bhulageria village near Lalgarh, he said. Two rifles, two double-barrel guns and a landmine were seized from their possession, Verma said. Another Maoist cadre Uttam Mandi was arrested from Binpur in the district, he added. Ashok Singha, a Maoist cadre, was arrested from Goghat
in Hooghly district early today, the police said.
Meanwhile, life has been affected badly by the ongoing two day bandh called by the Maoists to protest against the arrest of their top leader, including their Bengal state secretary, Kanchan.