Landmines detected along Ramgarh, forces chalking out strategy

Lalgarh, Jun 22: Paramilitary forces, along with state police, today continued their slow advance from Lalgarh towards Ramgarh, while a meeting was on among the high command of the security personnel at the district headquarters to chalk out their course of action.

SDO Jhargram Ulaganathan informed that the specialised COBRA forces detected a landmine on Lalgarh-Ramgarh road late last night and efforts were on to defuse it.

The security personnel did not want to take any chance and wanted to defuse all landmines before moving further. They were also waiting for more Central forces to arrive and were therefore adopting a cautious approach.

Yesterday, security reinforcements comprising several companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Border Security Force (BSF), as also state armed police started off from district headquarters Midnapore for the Bhimpur camp, about five km from Lalgarh.

The CRPF, BSF and West Bengal police were advancing towards Ramgarh to expand the area of dominance and wrest control of several other areas, including Barapelia, Chotopelia and Dalilpurchak, where top Maoist leaders were believed to be hiding.

Barapelia is the home of Maoist-backed People's Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA) convener Chatradhar Mahato and the PCPA headquarters. Small teams were combing nearby villages for Maoist rebels and leaders of the PCPA, spearheading the ultra-backed anti-government movement in Lalgarh.

Meanwhile, a 48-hour bandh in protest against the 'Flushout operation' had partial impact in Midnapore district today as the Maoist-dominated areas of Lalgarh, Belpahari, Banspahari, Jamboni, Goaltore and Jhargram witnessed complete shutdown while the urban areas functioned normally.

Shops, markets, educational institutions remained closed in the Maoist-dominated areas and public and private vehicles also did not ply. But the bandh had no effect on the town areas.

Altogether eight Maoists have been killed so far since the 'Flushout' operation began five days ago. Two of the ultras were gunned down at Birband village under Goaltore police station yesterday while six Maoists had been killed in an encounter in the Lalgarh region earlier.

Combined forces also arrested three suspected Maoists from Chakadoba and Siorbindha villages under Belpahari police station.

UNI