Agitating group defiant, CPI-M cadres stage rally

Saibal Gupta
Midnapore (WB), June 28 (PTI) As security forces
consolidated their positions a day after reclaiming key Maoist
stronghold of Ramgarh, the group spearheading the tribal
agitation in West Midnapore district, in India's eastern state
of West Bengal vowed to continue its resistance while hundreds
of Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) cadres took out a
rally.

"I am created by the people. I spoke about their
problems and police torture on them. Now if the people want us
to resist, we will do so. But I tell you I won't flee," the
leader of the People's Committee Against Police Atrocity,
Chhatradhar Mahato, told PTI on phone when asked about their
future strategy.

The forces set up two camps between Salboni and
Ramgarh -- one at Goaltore by the India Reserve Batallion and
another at a school at Ramgarh.

Another camp and a bunker was also set up at the
Ramgarh police station, which was burned by the Maoists on
June 14, and was visited by the IG (Western Range), Kuldeep
Singh Sunday morning.

Around 1000 CPI(M) cadre took out a motorcycle rally
with red flags fluttering between Chandrakona Road near
Ramgarh and Salboni. It was taken out by the Garbeta and
Keshpur zonal committees of the party.

Keshpur CPI(M) Zonal Committee leader Santan Majhi
told PTI that they had taken out the rally to restore peace.

Security forces were manning pickets every half
kilometre on the road between Salboni and Ramgarh, a distance
of 43 km. Vehicles were being searched and people were being
asked to show identity proof by securitymen.

"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," Assistant
Superintendent of Police, Burdwan, Humayun Kabir told PTI.

At Lalgarh, the DIG of Midnapore Range, Praveen Kumar,
and other officials held a series of meetings to discuss the
next course of action in their campaign to oust the extremists
from the tribal belt.

Asked when they intended to launch the next phase of
action, Kumar said, "The rule of law will ultimately prevail
in the once Maoist-held areas. But, we will not divulge our
plan."

Mahato, meanwhile, said the PCPA had set up relief
camps on the 12-km stretch between Lalgarh and Ramgarh
"to alleviate people's suffering".

Agitating tribals of West Midnapore, under the banner
of PCPA, 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 then 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 police and paramilitary forces.

The security forces began a crackdown on June 18 and
secured Lalgarh two days later. The troops on Friday took
control of Kadasole followed by Ramgarh, the largest Maoist
stronghold in West Midnapore where the Left-wing ultras
offered stiff resistance. PTI