Kolkata, Oct 2 : The West Bengal police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Friday brought Chatradhar Mahato, the arrested leader of a Maoist-backed outfit in the troubled Lalgarh region, to Kolkata for interrogation amid high security.

"A CID team brought Mahato to its headquarters this (Friday) afternoon for interrogation," a senior police officer said.

"Mahato will be quizzed by the CID officers here for next few days," he added.

Mahato, head of the tribal People's Committee against Police Atrocities (PCAPA), was presented before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate court of Jhargram in West Midnapore district Thursday and was sent to police custody till Oct 7.

He was arrested last week for his alleged links with Maoist rebels in Lalgarh area.

The tribal leader was spearheading an agitation that was sparked off as a protest against alleged police excesses in the region following a landmine blast on the route of Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's convoy Nov 2 last year.

The protest later snowballed into a movement against the state with the Left-wing extremists virtually making areas in and around Lalgarh, about 200 km west of Kolkata, a "free zone" by torching police camps and driving out the civil administration.

The state government, with assistance from the central forces, launched a massive security operation June 18 to flush out the guerrillas.

However, notwithstanding the nearly two-month-long security operation, Maoist activities have continued unabated. Several Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) cadres and tribals - whom the radicals have described as police informers - have been killed.

Mahato has been charged under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) of the state.(IANS)