Maoist rebels in India's eastern state of Jharkhand have killed seven members of rival groups in two separate incidents, indicating an intensifying power struggle between various factions, it was reported Friday, according to DPA. In the first incident in the north-western Latehar district on Thursday night, four supporters of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-M) were abducted by suspected activists of Tritiya Prastuti Committee, a breakaway faction of the CPI-M and killed with sharp-edged weapons, the IANS news agency reported. Describing the incident as an outcome of the struggle amongst Maoist groups, police officials said TPC activists were the victims in the second killing in the jungles of the southern Simdega district. Three people said to be supporters of the TPC were killed by another Maoist group, called the Jharkhand Liberation Tigers, which had split from the CPI-M early this year. In 2004, the Maoist Communist Centre merged with another left-wing extremist group called the People's War Group to form the CPI-M.
