Security forces consolidate position in Naxal-hit areas of WB

Saibal Gupta

Midnapore (WB), June 28 (PTI) After wresting control over
Ramgarh, the largest Maoist stronghold in West Midnapore
district, the security forces on Sunday moved to nearby
villages to flush out the ultras.

"We are going to villages surrounding Ramgarh and
consolidating our position and reassuring the people that they
were now free from the fear of Maoists," Burdwan Assistant
Superintendent of Police Humayun Kabir told PTI.

Asked when the next phase of the operations would begin,
Kabir said, "It's difficult for me to say."

Meanwhile, security forces were manning pickets every
half kilometer on the road connecting Salboni and Ramgarh,
recaptured on Saturday. Vehicles were being stopped and
searched and people were being asked to show identity proof.

DIG CID (Special Operations Group) Siddinath Gupta when
asked if the forces would resume operations during the day,
said, "It is not likely to happen, but it all depends on the
situation."

The first phase of the operations were launched on June
20, when the central para-military forces and the police drove
into troubled Lalgarh police station and made it their base of
operations.

Meanwhile, Garbeta and Keshpur zonal committees of the
CPI(M) Sunday took out a motorcycle rally between Chandrakona
Road and Salboni. Nearly 1,000 party cadre took part in it.

"We have taken out the rally to restore peace in the
area. We are against Trinamool Congress-Maoist nexus, which is
responsible for the problem in Lalgarh," Keshpur CPI(M) Zonal
Committee leader Santan Majhi told PTI.

On Saturday, security forces marched into Ragarh from
Kadsole in the north of Lalgarh in the second stage of the
operations to reclaim territory from the Maoists.

Agitating tribals of West Midnapore, under the banner
of People's Committee Against Police Atrocities, backed by
Maoists had launched a violent agitation since November
against alleged police "atrocities" on them following a
landmine blast at Salboni in which Chief Minister Buddhadeb
Bhattacharjee and two Union ministers had a narrow escape.

The Maoists went on the rampage targeting ruling CPI(M)
cadres and offices and virtually took control of a large area
after driving away the police and paramilitary forces. PTI SAG
KNO