Maoists call 48-hr bandh in WB, Jharkhand, Orissa

Maoists on Thursday called for a 48-hour bandh in West Bengal, Jharkhand and Orissa from April 26 in support of their demand for producing four of their arrested cadre before court.

Chandrasekhar, Rajen, Krishna and Rajesh were arrested by security forces between April 14 and April 15 from different areas in Jhargram subdivision of West Midnapore district, but have not been produced in court, a Maoist leader claimed.

While Chandrasekhar, a member of the Bengal-Jharkhand-Orissa Committee of the ultras, was arrested by the joint forces on April 14 from Nayagram, Rajen was arrested from Chandrakhuli and Krishna and Rajesh from Sirshi, he said.

"They should be produced in the court immediately. We have called a 48-hour bandh on April 26 and 27 in West Bengal, Jharkhand and Orissa," he said.

The Maoist leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, also denied 'rumours' of the death of their leader Kishenji, saying, "He is very much alive and healthy. The police are creating false propaganda."