Central forces storm past Maoist human wall on road to Lalgarh

Pirakata (West Bengal), June 18 (PTI) Security forces
Thursday cracked down on Maoists to end the four-day siege of
Lalgarh, in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal, facing
little resistance as they moved in to reclaim areas taken over
by the armed tribals.

A 600-strong mob of tribals armed with batons, axes,
spears, bows and arrows blocked the road when the forces
arrived and shouted at the police to "apologise" for
"atrocities" committed.

A police officer warned Maoists, who formed a human
shield, to disperse within two minutes. Armed police, Central
Reserve Police Force and riot police then fired teargas shells
and baton charged as the mob cleared the road within 10
minutes.

Police said it was one of nearly 100 blockades that
the securitymen would have to face en route to the Lalgarh
police station area.

The tribals belonging to the People's Committee
Against Police Atrocities, were stated to be regrouping
further down the road.

A tribal injured in the police action was arrested and
taken to a police camp.

The crackdown was announced by West Bengal Director
General of Police Sujit Kumar Sarkar.

Armed police and CRPF personnel drove in four trucks
into the restive area through Pirakata, the only road link not
disrupted. A senior police officer told PTI that the offensive
was being planned to be launched from three different places -
Pirakata, Goaltore and Salbani.

Asked about the strategy being adopted for the
operation, he said the security men would try to push back the
people with batons and teargas and avoid firing.

""The operations at Lalgarh have started. The
operations are being conducted by the police assisted by
central forces," Sarkar told PTI from Kolkata.

Noting the timeframe of the operations could not be
given, he said that bloodshed would be restricted to a
minimum.

In Kolkata, Chief Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborty
said "the police have been sent to Lalgarh to restore peace
and rule of law and to protect lives of innocent people."

Earlier, men, women and children, many of them armed
with axes, choppers and sticks, milled around, as microphones
in hand, PCPA supporters asked the people to prepare to defend
themselves.

The road between Pirakata and Lalgarh, a 30 km
distance, was blocked at over 100 places by felled trees.

"We have decided to put up a human shield of women and
children. We are prepared to shed our blood, but we will not
allow the police or security men to enter," 20-year-old
Abhijit Soren said at Belatikri. PTI SAG
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