Landmine blast, firing by Maoists as securitymen move forward

Lalgarh/New Delhi, June 19: Police backed by paramilitary personnel today continued their surge towards reclaiming Lalgarh from Maoist stranglehold drawing retaliation from the ultras and triggering a gunbattle as tribals blew up a bridge and set off a landmine in a bid to stop the security forces.

Maoists detonated a landmine targetting a police jeep this evening injuring two policemen at Pirakata bazar as the joint operation entered the second day. The jeep which was at the rear of a convoy of vehicles of journalists came under attack as soon as it passed the area, police said.

Earlier in the day, the security forces moved from Pirakata where they had halted for the night and moved to Koima some distance away on the road to Lalgarh, 23 km away.

The securitymen moved carefully sweeping the area with mine detectors and moving door to door in villages asking residents to keep indoors.

Top Maoist leader Koteshwar Rao, who had been camping in Lalgarh for the last few days spearheading the agitation, is said to have escaped along with six other leaders.

With Jhitka jungle a Maoist-hit area, the security personnel in armoured cars and high-axle trucks moved with extra caution.

In Delhi, Home Minister P Chidambaram said the Maoists should lay down arms and come for talks, endorsing an appeal made to them by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. PTI