Forces Begin Operation in Lalgarh as CPM Mulls over Next Step

Initiating anti-naxal operation, two hundred personnel of the specicalised anti-naxal force, CoBRA, is sanitizing the Jhitkha jungle as security forces headed to troubled Lalgarh in West Midnapore district. In the meanwhile, the significant meeting of CPM Politburo commenced to discuss the next step in besieged Lalgarh, while Centre asked CPM why it has not banned the Maoists outfit so far.

A senior police official said that security personnel are waiting for the Command Battalion for Resolute Action to clear their way of possible landmines, for Jhitka jungle is a Maoist-dominated area en route to Lalgarh, where Maoist-backed tribals are in control.

According to him, the security forces covered the 10 km distance from Pirakata to Pirakuli, another team of security men drove out from Sarenda in adjacent Bankura district in a pincer movement towards Lalgarh to cut off the escape routes of the Maoists.

The security forces used mine detectors to sweep the roads before driving ahead in heavy vehicles. Two IAF helicopters dropped thousands of leaflets in Santhali and Bengali over Lalgarh asking the people not to let themselves be used as human shields by the Maoists.

The security forces used mine detectors to sweep the roads before driving ahead in heavy vehicles. Two IAF helicopters dropped thousands of leaflets in Santhali and Bengali over Lalgarh asking the people not to let themselves be used as human shields by the Maoists.

The tribals under the People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) blocked the passage to Lalgarh by felling trees and digging up roads and blowing up a bridge at Binpur, 12 km from Lalgarh.

In the meanwhile, a significant meeting of CPM’s Politburo began which is scheduled to review the Maoist siege of the area, post-poll violence in parts of West Bengal, organisational problems in Kerala and its worst-ever defeat at the hustings recently.

In the meeting, in which top leaders of the party including Chief Ministers of CPM-ruled states are participating, the top most agenda is to to find ways and means to tackle the Maoist violence, which they alleged was being actively backed by Trinamool Congress in its bid to “destabilize” the Left Front government in West Bengal.

In response to the query whether Lalgarh would appear for discussion in the meeting, politburo member M K Pandhe said, “It’s an election review meeting. We have to discuss Lalgarh also.”

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram raised a question at a press conference in New as to why the West Bengal government has not banned the Maoists responsible for the siege in Lalgarh.

However, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram raised a question at a press conference in New as to why the West Bengal government has not banned the Maoists responsible for the siege in Lalgarh.

The Home Minister also denied allegations that the Congress and its ally, the Trinamul, were actually supporting Maoist insurgents in Lalgarh.

Making it clear that Maoists in Lalgarh could not be permitted to have a liberated zone, Chidambaran said that the idea of security forces in the region was not to kill protestors but to restore order and police stations which had been damaged.

At the same time, on the ground, the cobra force, trained in anti-Maoist operations, have joined in the battle to reclaim Lalgarh. Heavily armed police and paramilitary forces are battling to push their way into Lalgarh.

They plan to break the Maoist siege of the area through a three-pronged attack, but the Maoists have destroyed a bridge on the path of the advancing forces.

The Maoists are using women and children as human shields, something that they are not known to do.

Police sources say government orders are strictly to avoid firing as far as possible. The government does not want a Nandigram repeat.

The state home secretary has said Lalgarh is a huge challenge and is most likely going to be a long-drawn out operation.