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Police detain Maoist 'spokesman' Police arrest Maoist 'spokesman'
(about 4 hours later)
Police in the eastern Indian city of Calcutta have detained a leading Maoist "spokesman" as he walked out of a talk show on a local TV channel. Police in the eastern Indian city of Calcutta have formally arrested a leading Maoist "spokesman" as he walked out of a talk show on a TV channel.
Officials said Gour Chakrabarty has been detained for interrogation. They said he may be arrested if he is found to be involved in Maoist activity. Officials said Gour Chakrabarty was initially detained for interrogation but has now been arrested on suspicion of involvement in Maoist activity.
Mr Chakrabarty had defended the Maoist violence in a part of West Bengal which the rebels had taken control of. In his interview on a local TV station, Mr Chakrabarty defended Maoist violence in the Lalgarh area of West Bengal.
The arrest comes days after forces launched an offensive in the area.The arrest comes days after forces launched an offensive in the area.
On Tuesday evening's talk show on a Bengali TV channel, Mr Chakrabarty said the Maoists were the only revolutionary group in India "capable of achieving radical social change". On a Tuesday evening talk show on a Bengali TV channel, Mr Chakrabarty said the Maoists were the only revolutionary group in India "capable of achieving radical social change".
He said the Indian federal government was a "stooge of US imperialism" and the Communist government in Bengal "not very different".He said the Indian federal government was a "stooge of US imperialism" and the Communist government in Bengal "not very different".
As Mr Chakrabarty walked out of the TV station, waiting policemen detained him and took him away in a jeep.As Mr Chakrabarty walked out of the TV station, waiting policemen detained him and took him away in a jeep.
Mr Chakrabarty is a member of the Communist party of India (Maoist), which has been recently banned by the government.Mr Chakrabarty is a member of the Communist party of India (Maoist), which has been recently banned by the government.
He had been to many TV shows after the offensive on Lalgarh started, defending the Maoist position in public.He had been to many TV shows after the offensive on Lalgarh started, defending the Maoist position in public.
'Close relations'
Calcutta police commissioner Gautam Mohan Chakrabarty said that Gour Chakrabarty is being held under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
The Maoists were banned on Monday by the Indian central government under the terms of the UAPA for "maintaining close relations with a banned organisation."
Artists tried to broker peace between rebels and the government
West Bengal police have also charged three top Bengali artists - filmmaker Aparna Sen, theatre personalities Saonli Mitra and Kaushik Sen - with violating the Indian Penal Code by visiting the Lalgarh region of West Bengal state, where Maoist rebels are fighting paramilitary troops.
Saonli Mitra told the BBC that she was shocked at being charged.
"We went to Lalgarh in full knowledge of the state administration... The government is framing us," she said.
The trio had visited the enclave of Lalgarh "to gauge the situation there" and offered to mediate between the Maoists and the state government.
Security forces say that they have now taken control of Lalgarh and the vast jungle region around it, but armed Maoist squads are still reported to be in the area.
Maoist-linked violence has killed 6,000 people in India over two decades.Maoist-linked violence has killed 6,000 people in India over two decades.