List of armed CPI(M) cadre (harmad) camps in the Jangalmahal region of West Bengal

September 7, 2010

September 7 2010

Lalgarh and adjoining areas of jangalmahal, the adivasi-populated districts of West Bengal, have been ravaged by the armed gangs of the ruling CPI(M), ever since their entry into the area was facilitated by the joint state and central security forces. Organized in a paramilitary manner, on the lines of the notorious Salwa Judum of Chattisgarh, and housed in numerous camps dotting the entire jangalmahal region, the armed CPI(M) cadres, called locally as harmads, have been raiding villages, burning and looting houses, killing people, raping women and working closely with the joint forces in tracking down and killing leaders of the PCAPA, all in the name of regaining lost territory in the Lalgarh area. Recruited from areas such as Keshpur and Garbeta and also Jharkhand, and under the direction of senior CPI(M) leaders, in the last few months they have styled themselves as “Mao daman sena” (Maoist suppression army). In the recent past, they are widely believed to have been involved in the Sonamukhi rapes, in the Jnaneshwari Express derailment and the killing of Umakanta Mahato, a leader of the PCAPA. Though numerous statements regarding the presence of these armed camps in the area have been made, including by the Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, the home minister P Chiambaram, the governor of West Bengal M K Narayanan and in a report by the Intelligence Bureau of the central government, the West Bengal government has flatly denied the existence of such camps. Last week, a group of reporters who had gone to the area to investigate the presence of these camps, were beaten up and their camers destroyed by CPI(M) harmads.

Here for the first time we make public the list of harmad camps in jangalmahal, as on 5th August, 2010. More such camps have been set up in the last one month, as the harmads have advanced deeper into the area, and hundreds of people have fled from their villages. As the list shows, most of the camps have been set up in primary schools and in other government buildings including panchayat offices and Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) centres.

In many cases the harmad camps have been set up adjoining the base camps of the security forces. It is quite clear that the West Bengal government is blatantly allowing the use of government infrastructure, and worse, educational institutions, for furthering the nefarious and destructive activities of the ruling CPI(M) party, and the harmads are being accorded protection and impunity by the joint state and central forces.

List
of CPI(M) harmad
camps

No. Name of village Number of Harmads Location

Goaltore block, West Medinipur


1. Patharpara 150 High school, primary school ( combined forces
base camp)
2. Santhargeria 20 Primary school
3. Amlachati Podabanali 100 Primary school
4. Dopati 20 Primary school
5. Chowrangi More 30

6. Singla 30 Junior high school
7. Bhedua 10 Prmary school
8. Chotonagdana 10 High school (upper floor of hostel)

9. Nischintapur


10. Keshia 20 Primary school
11. Amjore 15 Primary school
12. Komarpur 15 Primary school
13. Moyna 30 Primary school
14. Kanjimakli 30 Panchayat office
15. Thakurpara 10

16. Pidabandh 6

17. Hadimara


18. Kadma


19. Amlashuli


20. Goaltore 40 CPI(M) zonal committee office
21. Hatimashan


22. Keyamacha

CPI(M) party office
23. Dikunaji


24. Pingbani


25. Kharkanta Ukhla

Primary school
26. Jeerapara

Dhamcha primary school
27. Betjharia

Jeerapara panchayat office
28. Metla

Metla panchayat office
29. Andar Alia

CPI(M) branch committee office
30. Pakudiha

Primary school
31. Jamirashole

Primary school





Shalboni block, West Medinipur


32. Chatuni Paradiha 50 Primary school, at home of CPI(M) local
committee member (LCM) Bikash Ukil
33. Jatra Bishnupur


34. Dhangashole 20 Primary school
35. Retingshole 25 Primary school
36. Sitanathpur 50 High school, at home of MLA Khagen Mahato
37. Ashnashuli 15 Primary school
38. Kashijora 15 Panchayat office
39. Bhursha 10

40. Parulia 50

41. Baghpichla 70 Primary school
42.

Jara

Panchayat office
43. Dakshinshole 150 Primary school
44. Moushole

High school (operation head-quarter)
45. Bhadutala 70 CPI(M) party office (combined forces base camp)
46. Shalboni 50 CPI(M) party office, Tushar Bhawan





Medinipur Sadar block, West Medinipur


47. Deluoa 150

48 Enayetpur

CPI(M) party office
49.

Kangshabati


50. Chandra 70 Local committee office
51. Kelemari 15 Integrated child development scheme (ICDS)
centre
52. Bhatpara


53. Chandpur


54. Bhalukhutiya 30 Primary school, factory
55. Medinipur town







Jhargram block, West Medinipur


56. Chuntri 70 Private house
57. Agrashole 70 House of Prashanta Das
58. Pathri 70

59. Jhargram town

Two lodges in Bachurdoba





Jamboni block, West Medinipur


60. Dubra 40 Panchayat office and CPI(M) party office





Nayagram block, West Medinipur


61. Patina (Nakbadi)


62. Kalma (Pukuria)







Sankrail block, West Medinipur


63. Ragra


64. Baroda


65. Kultikri

Combined forces base camp





Belpahari block, West Medinipur


66. Dhenkia 30 Club
67. Kapat kanta 30 Primary school
68. Harda







Simlapal block, Bankura


69. Dubrajpur 30 Primary school
70. Bikrampur







Sarenga block, Bankura


71. Sarenga

CPI(M) zonal committee office
72. Bejdanga







Rahipur block, Bankura


73. Baksi


74. Dumurtore


75. Dhenko







Bandowan block, Purulia


76. Sarga 50 In the house of LCM Raghu Singh
77. Chirudi 40 CPI(M) party office
78. Bandowan 30

CPI(M) zonal committee office
79. Jhurigora 25 In the house of LCM Lakshmi Mahato





Balarampur block, Purulia


80. Market


81. Ghatbera 10 In the house of LCM Madhu Mandal





Arsha block, Purulia


82. Sundarpur


83. Kantadi







Barabazar block, Purulia


84. Berada


85. Barabazar

CPI(M) zonal committee office
86. Hanspur

In the house of LCM