Bengal Mao leader Alik Chakraborty nabbed in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR/KOLKATA: Odisha Police and its West Bengal counterpart on Thursday nabbed CPI (ML) Red Star leader Alik Chakraborty, who had been leading the anti-power grid agitation in Bhangar in South 24 Parganas district for the past few years, near a private hospital under Chandrasekharpur Police limits in Bhubaneswar.

The Left wing extremist’s phone had been tapped and it was confirmed that he had left Bhangar for Bhubaneswar for medical examination. “According to the preliminary investigation, it seems Chakraborty came to a hospital in the City for a ‘medical check-up’. West Bengal Police has detained him,” Bhubaneswar DC Anup Kumar Sahoo told The Express.

Chakraborty was later taken to Chandrasekharpur police station. West Bengal Police will produce him at a court here and then take him on transit remand. Special Task Force of West Bengal Police launched a search operation to nab Chakraborty after violence broke out in Bhangar recently.

Meanwhile, members of the CPI (ML) Red Star, Odisha committee have condemned the arrest of their leaders and alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee was suppressing the people and leaders of Bhangar for anti-power grid movement. Bengal Police has registered cases under
Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against Chakraborty.

The police had been trying to arrest the over-ground Naxal leader for more than a year but could not as he was shielded by residents of over 30 agitating villages in Bhangar I block where the power grid was planned to be established over 16 acres of land.

After Chakraborty’s arrest, situation is expected to turn tense in those that have been agitating against the Power Grid Corporation of India-built power-grid for the past few years.Five of the nine contesting Red Star supported candidates won in the panchayat elections from the region last month.