Tamluk, Nov. 11: Most of the 13 arrested in Egra last night, including Sukur Ali and Gopal Ghosh who were wanted in the Chhoto Angaria massacre case, were from West Midnapore, meaning the CPM had brought cadres from that district for Operation Nandigram.

Many of these 10 hold party posts. Sukur, the CPM zonal committee secretary of Garbeta, and Tapan, a party district committee member, gave false names to police during their arrest last night.

Tapan said he was Madan Kar and Sukur, Saiful Ali.

The duo have warrants against them for the alleged massacre of Trinamul Congress supporters in January 2001.

The Telegraph had reported on Friday that nearly 400 armed CPM men had arrived from West Midnapore as part of a plan to take control of the lost ground.

Around 9pm yesterday, when Trinamul Congress, Congress and SUCI supporters had blocked roads in Egra town to protest against CPM attacks, an ambulance and three cars — two white Ambassadors with stickers saying they were on government duty and a Scorpio — arrived from Khejuri.

Inside the ambulance was an elderly woman and two middle-aged men — injured and bloodstained.

“The woman implored us to help them and said they were being abducted,” said Uttam Das of the Trinamul.

The demonstrators surrounded the cars, dragged the 13 occupants out and beat them up. The injured were taken to Egra hospital.

The police later arrested the 13. Nearly 1,000 Congress, Trinamul and SUCI supporters guarded the police station at night fearing they will be freed.

Trinamul MLA Sisir Adhikary alleged that he identified Sukur and Tapan last night but “the police allowed them to hide their real identity”.

Among those held were Garbeta zonal committee member Abhiram Mahato, local committee secretary Biswanath Mondal, Chandrakona zonal secretary Santanu Maji and district committee members Meghnad Bhuniya and Biswanath Das. All 13 have been remanded in 14 days’ jail custody.

The CPM’s West Midnapore secretary, Dipak Sarkar, said they were returning home after a holiday in Digha.