Villagers rally against Maoists in WB

JHARGRAM: In a show of dissent against Maoists, residents of over a dozen villages in West Midnapore district today took out a protest rally coinciding with the first day of the ' Martyrs week' being observed by the rebels to mark the 38th death anniversary of Naxalite leader Charu Majumdar, police said.

Holding traditional weapons and anti-Maoist placards, the villagers, which included students and women, of the tribal- dominated Harda gram panchayat area took part in the rally.

According to the villagers, Maoists had attacked Kakotpal and Beldanga villages in Harda on July 12 in order to force them to take part in their processions. However, they resisted the rebels and since then they were being threatened by the extremists. To protest this, they decided to hold the rally.