An armed clash between CPI-M workers and Maoist guerrillas that started in West Midnapore on Monday night has sparked rumours about the death toll.
Initially, the government and the police did not confirm the clashes, and rumours about the toll spread. Soon after, Maoist spokesperson Kisanji issued a statement claiming that all 10 killed at Enayetpur were CPI(M) workers and that guerrillas had taken control of CPI(M)’s local committee office.
CPI(M) mouthpiece in Bengal, Ganashakti, rebutted Kisanji’s claim, saying that villagers and party workers put up a fight when Maoists tried to capture the party’s local office.
“Maoists were forced to retreat after that. People of the area say seven to eight were killed, though this can’t be confirmed,” a report in Ganashakti said.
The state police did not confirm the toll, but villagers told the combined forces operating in the area that they had seen eight bodies in the jungles.
A senior officer posted there told DNA that villagers spoke of having seen guerrillas taking away bodies after the hour-long gunbattle with CPI-M workers. “It appears that Maoists suffered the most damage, since they took away the bodies,” he said.
When contacted, neither state DGP Bhupinder Singh, nor IG (law & order) Surjit Kar Purakayastha or West Midnapore police superintendent Manoj Verma said they had no knowledge of the number of deaths in the conflict.
