The district, along with its bordering ones, is set to go to polls in May.

District police sources said CPM local committee secretary Mukul Tiwari (26), committee member Jugal Murmu (42) and Krishak Sabha (Budmal) president Naba Murmu (30) were working on an NREGS road construction project near Jagannathpur village along with around 50 other NREGS card holders. The group also included Viren Singh, the local Congress block committee president.

Around 1 pm, some armed people emerged from the nearby jungle and approached the group.

They called Singh and asked him to identify the CPM leaders and two others — Amiyo Kishku and M Murmu. Then took away all six, including Singh, at gunpoint into the jungle.

According to Kishku and Murmu, who survived with gunshot wounds, the men opened indiscriminate fire on the group.

While Tiwari, Jugal and Naba were killed on the spot, the other three escaped and managed to raise an alarm.

West Midnapore District Magistrate Narayan Swarup Nigam told The Indian Express a massive manhunt had been launched by police in the Garmal jungles bordering Jagannathpur, from where the bodies had been recovered with their hands tied behind.

“At the moment, it is difficult to say who is responsible for the attack. It is an unfortunate incident and we can only offer more information after conducting an investigation,” he said.

Police sources added that some posters and leaflets had been found at the spot asking people to abstain from voting in the panchayat elections.

A search operation is being carried on, led by DSP (Operations) Shankar Prasad, but no one had been apprehended as yet.