The 35-year-old CPM local committee leader, Tapan Dolui had left his home eight months ago following a police warning that the Maoists could target him. However, after a camp of the joint security forces was set up near his house in Dherua, Tapan returned to his house around 10 days ago and began to stay there, said a senior police official of Kotwali police station. “On Tuesday, he was killed after a large Maoist squad stormed into his house,” said the police.

According to the police, Maoists posters were found near his body claiming responsibility for the murder. “We have sent our force to retrieve the body. We have started investigation into the case,” said Manoj Verma, SP, West Midnapore. Despite the presence of the security camp near the slain leader’s house, police reached the spot at 10 am. At night, the security forces avoid going to any spot for fear of mines planted on the roads said a senior official.

The police arrested 12 suspected Maoists from Goaltore late on Tuesday evening. “We have nabbed Nani Gopal Goswami, a close associate of Telugu Deepak and the Gana Militia chief Sidhu Soren. Our forces were very close to Sidhu Soren but he fled from the spot,” said a police officer.