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Banned CPI-ML plans to avenge Monday's massacre

The banned Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninst and Party Unity are planning to avenge Monday's Lakshmanpur-Bathe carnage in Bihar, which was allegedly the Ranvir Sena's handiwork.

Official sources said that the state headquarters had been informed that the CPI-ML and the Maoist Communist Centre were seriously discussing their plans. The bloodshed might occur at extremist-dominated districts Aurangabad, Bhojpur, Gaya, Jehanabad or Patna, sources added.

More than 60 people were killed in Monday's Bathe-Laxmanpur carnage in Jehanabad district. Sources said a red alert had been sounded in all 37 extremist-affected districts of Bihar even as the carnage brought back memories of the war between the lower and upper castes.

The war of attrition between the Ranvir Sena and the MCC, the Party Unity and the CPI-ML was going on for the past several years.

Officials today recalled the gory massacre which Bihar witnessed in 1984 at Danwar-Bihta in Bhojpur district in which 29 CPI-ML workers and landlords were killed. This was followed by an armed encounter with the police in Patna district in 1986 in which the police killed 24 Party Unity workers, followed by Dalelchak-Baghaura massacre in 1987 in Aurangabad district in which 54 landlords were gunned down by the MCC supporters.

In 1991, the Kisan Sangh killed 15 CPI-ML activists in Tiskohra in Patna district. In the same year, 15 landlords were killed by the CPI-ML in Bhojpur district.

Again 34 landowners fell prey to the MCC rampage at Bara in Gaya district in 1992.

Last year, 22 CPI-ML men were killed by the Sena at Bathanitola in Bhojpur district. The Bathanitola carnage generated much heat in the political circles with Union Home Minister Indrajit Gupta saying that there was no law and order in Bihar.

This year the first major carnage took place at Haibuspur in Patna district in which 10 dalits were killed by the Sena on the eve of Holi. Eleven landlords were killed at Jalpura in Patna district by the Party Unity activists later.

Those affected in most of the carnages are the downtrodden and oppressed sections, and the operations launched to tackle the growing menace of extremism by the state government proved futile.

This year has so far witnessed 440 mass killings. A total number of 142 people, including 13 security personnel and an engineer-in-chief, were killed in extremist violence during the 130-day regime of the Rabri Devi government.

Last year, 436 people were killed in extremist violence. In 1995, 295 people fell prey to the extremist violence.

This year, to date, 11 police personnel have been killed in extremist violence while the figure stood at 28 last year.

UNI

EARLIER REPORT:
At least 60 massacred in worst-ever Bihar caste feud

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