A prominent Maoist leader belonging to India’s Peoples Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA) was beaten to death by irate villagers in the Jhargram district of West Bengal on Saturday, reports The Times of India.
Hemanta Mahato, 20, came to Nedabahara village to take part in a rally organised to protest the arrest of the Gram Panchayat member and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Sukumar Murmu.
Following an altercation, villagers beat Mahato to death fearing violence during the rally, Jhargram superintendent of police Bharati Ghosh said.
Murmu was arrested by police on Friday after a landmine device was recovered from his residence.
Mahato, a prominent Maoist, had three police cases pending against him, Ghosh said.