WB: Maoists gangrape, bury woman alive

Kolkata, Sep 2: To send across a bloodcurdling message to all non-conformist political opponents, Maoists gang raped and buried an Anganwadi woman alive for defying their diktat, a media report said.

The impact of the medieval-type 'punishment' was such that villagers who saw the cruel incident refused to depose before the police in West Midnapore District, The Pioneer reported.

The daily quoted police as saying that the incident took place between Aug 2 and Aug 4 when a band of 21 Maoists led by the Pintu Mahato squad stormed the Bhangabandh house of Anganwadi worker, Chabi Mahato, in the tribal hamlet of Bhangabandh and dragged her away at gunpoint.

A forest and a canal in Salboni area of East Midnapore flank the hamlet.

Incidentally, Salboni is the same place where the Maoists had triggered a landmine explosion targeting Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's cavalcade in Nov 2008 while he was returning after inaugurating a Jindal Group project.

Two daughters and a son survive the 40-year-old victim. Her husband was abducted and shot by the red rebels a year ago following a kangaroo court decision.

A case has been filed against 15 persons.

Meanwhile, police are also looking for another Anganwadi worker, Anima Besra, who went missing on Aug 23 from Kumra village of Maoist-hit Bandwan in Purulia district.

ANI