Maoists storm school, kidnap principal in WB

Kolkata: A school teacher was abducted by a group of suspected Maoists in West Bengal's Bankura district Friday, police said.

The Gana Militia of the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities has claimed responsibility for Duley's abduction.

Four leftwing rebels came on motorcycles and abducted Rajat Dule, principal of Sarulia Secondary School in the district, about 160 km west of Kolkata. Armed men entered Duley's office on Friday during class hours, blindfolded him and led him out of the school. They also snatched the cell phones of 6 teachers present. There were at least a hundred children in the school at the time

"We have got reports that Dule was abducted from his school by a group of suspected Maoists who came on motorcycles and sped off after the operation. We have started a probe into the case," Bankura Police Superintendent Vishal Garg said.

According to locals, 55-year-old Dule was a former Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) supporter. His elder brother was shot dead by Maoists last year for not leaving the party.

(With IANS inputs)