Kishenji's brother Venugopal Rao regrouping red ultras in Midnapore

KOLKATA: Slain Maoist leader Kishenji's brother Venugopal Rao has managed to sneak into Jangalmahal and has begun reorganising the red ultras. Intelligence agencies have informed the state administrative headquarters about this new development.

Intelligence agencies told the state administration that Venugopal entered Jangalmahal on November 30 and was currently camping at Kanaishole forest of West Midnapore district.

Kanaishole forest is a place where Maoists held their organisational meeting last February. The meeting was attended by Kishenji and about 15 Maoists action-squad activists.

According to a security force source, joint forces have already launched a search operation in the forest to trace Venugopal and his action squad members. Intelligence agencies also alerted the state administration about possible attacks on government establishments and railway stations in Jangalmahal by Maoist squads working under Venugopal's leadership.

Four Maoist activists were arrested from Banstala under Jhargram sub-division of the same West Midnapore district on Wednesday. They have been identified as Baren Mahato, Sujit Mahato and Bikash Mahato. Police did not give the name of the fourth Maoist activist arrested.

A police officer said that all the four Maoist activists arrested were aides of Maoist state secretary Asim Mandal, alias Akash. Intelligence agencies are trying to trace Akash too. The officer hinted about another possible encounter with Maoists in the jungles of West Midnapore in a few days. Arrests of the four activists will help the joint forces to launch fresh attacks against the red ultras.