Five Maoists arrested for landmine attack on CM's convoy

Kolkata, Nov 6(UNI) Five suspected Maoists were arrested for their alleged involvement in the landmine attack on the convoy of West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on November two, Home Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborty today said.

'' Five people were arrested from Binpur and Lalgarh areas of West Midnapore district late last night. Police also recovered from them firearms, including an Italian nine mm pistol and Maoist leaflets,'' he told reporters.

The Home Secretary said two of the arrested, Sunil Hansda and Sunil Mandi, were members of the Maoist action squad while the rest included a school teacher and a public telephone booth owner with suspected Maoist links.

Police had earlier arrested six people in connection with the incident for their suspected links with the underground extremist organisation.

The Chief Minister and Union Ministers Ram Vilas Paswan and Jitin Prasada narrowly escaped the landmine blast that took place at Bhadutala under Salboni police station area. The ministers were returning to Kolkata after the foundation laying of a steel project of JSW Steel.

The blast left six policemen seriously injured.

Mr Chakraborty said Karan Hembram, a hardcore Maoist, was suspected to have been directly involved in the blast.

Hembram, who was arrested in connection with another mine blast in 2004, has been absconding since Sunday last, he said.

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