Hours before Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's visit to Naxal-infested Midnapore on Saturday, three youths were shot dead by Maoists in Kusbani jungle in the district.
Bullet-riddled bodies of the three youths -- Lakhi Das, Jayram Mandi and Manoranjan -- with their limbs tied with ropes, were found on a road near Kusbani jungle, police sources said.
The Maoists had left behind posters near the bodies of the three, claiming that they had been 'punished' as they were spies of the police and agents of the ruling Communist Party of India - Marxist.
The chief minister is scheduled to arrive at Midnapore town at approximately 5.30 pm to hold meetings with the district magistrates and superintendents of police of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia districts, to discuss the law and order situation and the welfare measures initiated by the state government.
Nearly 600 central paramilitary force personnel and 4,000 state policemen have been deployed in the district in view of Bhattacharjee's visit.