In a big blow to the Naxals in West Bengal, top Maoist leader Kanchan was arrested alongwith four others by the special task force (STF) of the Kolkata police from the city in a two-day operation. They have disclosed to the STF during interrogation that their elusive supreme commander Kishenji is alive.
A huge cache of arms and ammunition, including foreign-made improvised rocket launchers and state-of-the-art communication devices, was also recovered. This is a major breakthrough for the police.
Kanchan, 42. is the state committee secretary of the CPI(Maoist) in West Bengal. He was wanted in connection with the Lalgarh movement and several other subversive activities across the Jangalmahal. Originally from Garbeta in West Midnapore, Kanchan had joined the People’s War Group and later became a very close associate of Kishenji, who used him to strengthen rebel operations against joint security forces. He became the state committee secretary after Himadri Sen Roy, alias Soumen, was arrested by the state criminal investigation department in February of 2008 from North 24 Parganas.
His real name is Sudip Chongdar and is also known as Batas.