Over the last two years, the group has taken youths from premier educational institutions, like Presidency College in its fold, said a top Criminal Investigation Department officer today after interrogating Himadri Sen Roy alias Somen, state secretary of the CPI (Maoist).

The police are keeping an eye on the activities of some students of Calcutta University, Jadavpur University and some colleges including the Presidency College.

Preliminary interrogation of Somen has revealed that he had masterminded the killing of CPM leaders Rabi Kar and Mahendra Mahato in Purulia, Barikul officer-in-charge Prabal Sengupta in Bankura and Burdwan officer-in-charge Nilmadhab Das in Purulia.

“We have reports that he had ordered the killing of CPM leader and school headmaster Karamchand Singh in West Midnapore’s Belpahari area on 22 February,” a senior CID officer said.

Somen came into active politics when Cal Steel Factory, a steel manufacturing company located in Khardah, North 24 Parganas, was shut down. Initially, he was an active member of the CPM like many of his contemporaries, but he later joined the Naxalite movement and was arrested in 1972.

After being released, he became a member of the People’s War Group and then the CPI (Maoist), which came into being after the PWG was wound up. He took charge of the West Bengal faction of the organisation and held the post of general secretary of the state unit of the party for the last three years.

Somen had stayed in Howrah for a few months for the formation of some social organisations to fight against the state machinery.

The CID, meanwhile, raided some places near Rajarhat, Moyna, Nabapally and Anandapalli areas in North 24-Parganas but no arrest was made. The officer said the Maoist outfit has formed some mass organisations in the city and its neighbourhood to intensify anti-land acquisition movements.

“Its junior leaders have been monitoring the functions of these organisations. Those who had put up Maoist posters at the Writers’ Buildings last month have been identified following interrogation of Somen,” he added.

Police came to know that Somen’s two party colleagues live at Bhimpur village near Jangipara in Hooghly. Their homes were raided yesterday, but they managed to escape arrest.