Jagori Baske's dramatic surrender before chief minister Mamata Banerjee recently has only added to the mystery that has surrounded the dreaded Maoist for most of her life.  When exactly did she surrender? Was it before the last assembly polls? Did Kolkata police play a crucial role? How were Jagori and her husband, Maoist comrade Rajaram Soren, clad in crisp battle fatigues if they were on the run for months? And what...

-The Hindu   State to take care of education and other needs of their son till 12th standard Two hardcore Maoists, one of whom was reportedly involved in the Silda camp killing in 2010, called on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the State Secretariat on Thursday after surrendering before the police. Congratulating the duo, who met her along with their child, Ms. Banerjee said the government would examine the legal cases against...

-The Telegraph   The Bengal government today pulled out of its hat Jagori Baskey, once a feared member of the Maoist action squad and a purported ace shot, saying that the woman and her husband had surrendered this morning. Conflicting versions flew about Jagori’s current status in the Maoist outfit and the actual time of the surrender, the announcement of which at Writers’ this afternoon coincided with a dramatic escalation in hostilities between...

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has promptly responded to the letter in which the State-appointed interlocutors for talks with Maoists have sought to be relieved of their responsibilities. She has called a meeting with the interlocutors on Saturday. But that does not clear away the clouds gathering over the peace process. While both the government and the Maoists insist that it is in their mutual interest to sit at the...

Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh will visit Jungle Mahal on Saturday and meet Mamata Banerjee in Calcutta on Sunday to finalise a development package for the Maoist zone. The idea is to take up Jungle Mahal as a test case for the two-pronged approach of development and police action to rein in the rebels. The state government recently decided to resume counter-Maoist operations in the region. Ramesh will visit West Midnapore...