The CPI-ML has called for a dawn-to-dusk bandh in Koderma district of Jharkhand tomorrow to protest against the killing of three of its activists in yesterday’s police firing here.Police claim the Marchacho police station was gheraoed and they had no choice but to retaliate. The CPI (M-L) has reportedly been protesting against ‘‘police atrocities’’ and calling for yesterday’s gherao since January 8. The office of Koderma SP Anal Lakara reportedly received a pamphlet mentioning the CPI-ML’s plan to gherao the police station.‘‘They had come armed with axes, sickles, lathis and bows and arrows. They beat me up and tore up my uniform. I was also hit on my head,’’ said Marchacho police station Sub Inspector Pawan Oraon. According to Lakra, injured CPI-ML members were undergoing treatment at a private clinic. ‘‘All of them are reportedly fine,’’ he said. Koderma Deputy SP Sham Tarvez said police had to open fire in self-defence.
