Naxal situation in Lalgarh sensitive and tense: Chidambaram

New Delhi, Jun 21 (PTI) The situation in West Bengal's
Lalgarh area, where security forces are fighting to clear a
Maoist siege, is "sensitive" and "tense", India's Home
Minister P Chidambaram said on Sunday, while asking political
leaders to avoid going to the conflict zones.


"The situation in Lalgarh is sensitive and continues to
be tense," he said, while also making a reference to a call
for a two-day bandh from Monday given by the CPI-Maoist in
five Naxal-affected states of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand,
Orissa and West Bengal.

"I appeal to all citizens especially political leaders,
NGOs and others not to go to the conflict areas," he said in a
statement here.

The Home Minister said the security forces must carry out
their work without "distraction".

The security forces, which have reclaimed control of key
Lalgarh police station area, were on Sunday pushing deeper
into the region to break the Maoist siege of 17 villages
considered to be strongholds of the ultras and tribals backed
by them.

Meanwhile, in view of the two-day bandh call given by the
CPI-Maoist from tomorrow, the Centre has asked five Naxal-hit
states to remain alert against possible "demonstrative acts of
violence" by Left-wing extremists.

The alert was issued by the Union Home Ministry on the
basis of intelligence inputs. PTI ACB
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