72-hour Maoist shutdown disrupts normal life in Midnapore
Midnapore (West Bengal):The People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA), a pro-Maoist organization, began a 72-hour shutdown in the Jhargram region of West Bengal's Midnapore district on Thursday to protest against the police baton-charge on its supporters on Wednesday. The police had allegedly baton-charged Tribals
including women in Jhargram region, who were demanding the release of their leaders,
Chhatradhar Mahato, who was spearheading agitation in Lalgarh district. As the
shutdown began, the PCAPA activists set afire a pick-up van of the police near
Jhargram town. They also attached posters nearby the incident site announcing
the shutdown call. Nirmal Mahato, a local resident, said the agitation had started
at 5 a.m, when they set on fire a jeep coming from Orissa. "The incident occurred
in the wee hours of morning. Boys were working in the field. Suddenly we heard
a loud sound. The passengers from the jeep informed the local boys in the field
that the jeep has been set on fire. It was coming from Orissa and was heading
towards Jhargram," Nirmal Mahato said. The shutdown affected normal life in Jhargram
area as all educational institutions and shops remained closed.
