Somen’s mother Bina Sen Roy in her house in Khardah, North 24-Parganas. (Pranab Biswas)

Midnapore, Feb. 24: Some families of CPM supporters killed by Maoists today demanded death for the arrested rebel leader, Somen. Many, however, refused comment out of fear.

Somen is believed to have played a major role in the killing of school headmaster and CPM local committee member Karamchand Singh in Belpahari on Friday. Police said he also had a big hand in the murders of CPM leaders Rabindranath Kar and Mahendra Mahato and the officers in charge of Bankura’s Barikul police station and Purulia’s Bandwan.

Karamchand’s widow Paromoni said: “I want him to be hanged. Those who killed my husband deserve death.”

Mahendra’s widow Atika said they had fled Banspahari, West Midnapore, with their one-and-half year-old son following threats. But the guerrillas got her husband in Bankura. He was returning home from a party meeting.

“I’m not scared any more. Before my death I want the Maoist leader who masterminded the killing of many like my husband to suffer the same way,” Atika said before breaking down.

Ashok Ghosh, whose brother Ajit, a CPM local committee member of Goaltore and high school teacher who was shot dead in 2002, said: “People like Somen are not revolutionaries. They are murderers.”

But Anil Mahato’s family refused to speak. In 2006, the CPM zonal committee member of Shilda, West Midnapore, was dragged out of a bus and shot along with his two guards. A relative who did not want to be named said: “One of his sons became insane with grief. His daughter dropped out of school. His sister, who was in the bus and saw the killing, was warned by the rebels against testifying in court.” His other son is taking his Madhyamik this year.

Slain Bandwan police officer Nilmadhab Das’s family refused to speak. “We don’t want to dig up the past,” said his brother-in-law.