Most of the jawans killed in yesterday's Maoist attack on the EFR camp here at Shilda in West Midnapore district are from north Bengal. A list available from the police, which is in possession of PTI, shows that 12 of the slain EFR jawans are from Darjeeling district, three from Jalpaiguri disitrict and the rest from Assam, Nepal and Saloa at Kharagpur in West Midnapore district.
The 12 jawans from Darjeeling district are riflemen Pem Chiring Bhutia, Mikmar Tamang, Ajoy Thapa, Suresh Rai, Monal Chetri and constables Nimte Sherpa, Biman Rai, Prem Chiring Lepcha, Danlat Rai, Shanti Kumar Rai, Damber Chetri and Pradip Pradhan.
The rest are riflemen Jibon Chetri, Gagan Pradhan, Arjun Thakuri and Kantishwar Basumatari from Nepal, Arinda Rava, Bonin Doimari from Assam, Chandra Chetri and Gopal Krishna Chetri from Jalpaiguri and Habildars Bihan Kachari, Suraj Bahadur Thapa, Madhukar Subba and Ram Bahadur Thapa (cook) from Saloa in West Midnapore.
Of the 24 jawans killed, 10 were from second battalion and 14 were from the third battalion.
Three - Bishnu Singh Chetri and Lal Bahadur Pradhan of second battalion and Binod Pradhan from thrid battalion - are admitted to Jhargram sub-divisional hospital with injuries. Binod Pradhan told PTI from hospital, "The Maoists attacked us when were we were busy in the kitchen and it was not possible for us to retaliate". PTI
