Naxals/Maoists Watch

Should the Indian government use armed forces against the naxals/maoists?


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Pintu

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J'khand border sealed to check entry of Lalgarh rebels - Ranchi - Cities - The Times of India


J'khand border sealed to check entry of Lalgarh rebels


18 Jun 2009, 0432 hrs IST, Sanjay Ojha, TNN

RANCHI: Fearing cross-border movement of CPI(Maoist) rebels from Lalgarh, the state home department has asked security forces to seal Jharkhand's borders with West Bengal.

Police in all districts bordering West Bengal have been asked to seal the border and keep round-the-clock vigil on highways so that any attempts by the guerillas to sneak into the state was foiled. Security forces in the two districts of East and West Singhbhum, which forms part of the "Red corridor", have been asked to be even more vigilant.

"There is information that all Maoist incidents in Jharkhand were planned to keep the security forces in the state busy so that there could be easy cross-border movement of the rebels," a senior police officer here said.

"Since the Maoists have always taken advantage of the porous inter-state border, we have asked the police to seal the border and be more vigilant to foil attempts by the Red brigade to sneak into Jharkhand and then move on to Orissa or Chhattisgarh.

"After making an assessment of developments in West Bengal and Jharkhand in the last few days anyone can assess that the series of attacks on security forces in Jharkhand was to divert the attention of police and ensure safe passage," the officer added.

He also revealed that there was information of a high level team from Union home ministry visiting the state to assess the situation.

State home secretary JB Tudid said that security forces in Jharkhand would do everything to prevent cross-border movement of Maoists and thwart their efforts create unrest.

"We are keeping a close watch on the developments on the other side of the border as well as in our area," he said.
 

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'Don't let Maoists use you as shields' - Kolkata - Cities - The Times of India

'Don't let Maoists use you as shields'

18 Jun 2009, 0255 hrs IST, TNN

KOLKATA: With the government gearing up for a battle with the Maoists in the Jangalkhand, chief secretary Asok Mohan Chakrabarti warned the Maoists against using women and children as human shield. "I would appeal to the innocent villagers not to cooperate with the Maoists. We will not tolerate the lawlessness and anarchy in these areas," he said.

At a Left Front meeting earlier in the day, chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said that he was firm on taking action against the Maoists. The CM, however, left it to the state police top brass to decide on the timing of the Lalgarh operation.

Before giving a go-ahead to the crackdown, the chief minister sent state home secretary Ardhendu Sen, DGP Sujit Sarkar and director general (coordination) Bhupinder Singh to West Midnapore to take stock of the situation and also get field reports from the police officers there. The CM stayed at Writers' Buildings till evening and held a meeting with the team and chief secretary after they came back from Midnapore.

The home secretary briefed the CM about the ground reality and the administrative preparedness before starting the operation. "We are well aware of the ground reality and the number of roads dug up by the agitators. The state police will lead the brigade with the central forces providing the crucial back up," Sen said after a meeting with the CM. He said that the forces have been told to conduct the operation with a view to keep the loss of lives at minimum. A section of the IPS officers are dismayed with former DGP A B Vohra's "wait-and-watch" stance that they believe has aggravated the situation.
 

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Security forces begin ops to free Lalgarh from Maoists
18 Jun 2009, 1035 hrs IST, Times Now



Central forces on Thursday began their operations to flush out Maoists from villages in Lalgarh in West Bengal. Fifty villages in and around Lalgarh in West Midnapore district have been captured and declared a ‘free zone’ by Maoists.

Setting up their base camps around Lalgarh, central forces along with state police began closing in on Lalgarh early on Thursday morning. Four to five base camps at strategic locations have been set up with the objective not to concede any more areas to the Maoists. Maoists have formed a three-tier human shield with women and children in the vanguard, men behind them and armed naxals forming the rearguard, according to a senior police official. Sources say the forces want to minimize casualties and will thus move slowly.

Conceding to pressure from the centre the state government had ordered the police to lead the operation with assistance from the central forces. Five companies of CRPF and 8 companies of BSF will help the state police in this operation. The elite Cobra force is also on standby.

Security forces begin ops to free Lalgarh from Maoists - India - The Times of India
 

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Nine policemen killed in Orissa landmine explosion

Bhubaneswar (PTI): Nine security personnel of Orissa's anti-naxal force were on Thursday killed in a landmine explosion triggered by Maoists in Koraput district.

Nine personnel of the Orissa Special Strike Force (OSSF) were killed when their jeep was blown up by a landmine detonated by remote control at Jogi Pallur in Koraput, about 530 km from here, police said.

The landmine blast occurred as the personnel on their way from Maoist-hit Narayanpatna to Laxmipur found the road blocked by Maoists, Director General of Police Manmohan Praharaj said.

The CRPF personnel, who rushed to the spot after the ambush, also came under fire from the Maoists at Laxmipur, police said.

The Hindu News Update Service

RIP
 

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Govt ready for talks with Lalgarh tribals: Buddhadeb


Kolkata (IANS): West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhatacharjee Thursday said the state government was ready to hold talks with tribals on their grievances, and appealed to the Lalgarh villagers not to get provoked by Maoist rebels and not let themselves be used as human shields by the Left radicals.

"The Maoists are using innocent villagers, women and children as human shields. Don't let yourself be used like shields. Don't fall prey to their provocations," the chief minister said in a statement as the state and central forces launched an operation to flush out Maoists from Lalgarh in West Midnapore district.

"The government is prepared to hold discussions with the people of the area about their problems," Mr. Bhattacharjee said.

"Go back home," he told the villagers, who were seen putting up a human shield in the vicinity of Lalgarh to stop the advancing security forces.

State Chief Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborty claimed police have not faced any resistance from armed people.

"The police have gone there to restore peace and rule of law and to protect lives of innocent people.," he said

The Hindu News Update Service








Mamata leading Lalgarh riots from behind scenes: Brinda

New Delhi (PTI): The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) on Thursday accused the Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee of leading an "unholy alliance" with Maoists in West Bengal to destabilise the elected Left Front government in the State.

"The Trinamool Congress is trying to destabilise the pro-poor Left government by unleashing terror in connivance with Maoist forces in parts of West Bengal," CPI (M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat said addressing a protest rally here by party workers against the unabated violence in Lalgarh.

Alleging that the Trinamool chief is leading the violence from behind the scenes, Ms. Karat said the Maoists and the "Trinamoolis" are killing her party workers and "conspiring to disrupt law and order in the state".

"So far 53 comrades have been killed in the orchestrated brutal attacks which has also got backing of the main opposition party," she said adding that the planned and systematic strategy to weaken Left parties in its bastion by "fascist forces" would be resisted in all forms.

During the protest, the CPI(M) members also observed a minute-long silence to condole the death of their colleagues in troubled Lalgarh.

Condemning the killing of its cadre by Maoists, the CPI(M) had earlier asked the Centre to to immediately sent para military forces to West Midnapore district in West Bengal.

The Hindu News Update Service


Ours politicians are always the same and for this vote politics can do anything ..
 

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Maoists pool in resources for Operation Lalgarh - Kolkata - Cities - The Times of India

Maoists pool in resources for Operation Lalgarh
19 Jun 2009, 0311 hrs IST, Sandeep Mishra & Sonali Das, TNN

BHUBANESWAR/RANCHI: Money from Jharkhand, weapons from Orissa, cadres from Chhattisgarh and leadership from Andhra Pradesh. The Maoists' strategy
seems to be clear. And the next big target for them is apparently the place where it had all started over four decades back: West Bengal.

If police well-versed with Naxalite operations are to be believed, the ongoing bloodletting at Lalgarh in West Bengal is part of a detailed plan to expand Maoist dominance. "As it appears, the Maoists have decided to revive violence in a big way in West Bengal. And might be thinking of creating a liberated zone' encompassing northern Orissa, parts of Jharkhand and Lalgarh and its neighbourhood in West Bengal, akin to the one they have been striving to set up in the southernmost parts of Orissa, parts of Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh," observed a senior police officer.

"In the latter case, the Maoists' presence is huge. While Abusmad in Bastar region of Chhattisgarh serves as the Maoist nerve centre, Malkangiri in Orissa and Khammam in AP are under in their grip," the officer said. "The extremists are strong in parts of Jharkhand and have stepped up their offensives in the Similipal forest area of Mayurbhanj and Sundargarh districts of Orissa. While Mayurbhanj borders West Bengal, Sundargarh borders parts of Jharkhand. By launching a series of attacks in Lalgarh, the ultras might be working on dominating an area spread over Orissa, Jharkhand and West Bengal. This is to some extent evident from the manner in which they are launching attacks in quick succession in different states possibly to prevent the policemen from helping their counterparts in other states," he added.

Take the example of Jharkhand. The spurt in violence over the past 10 days which saw 25 policemen killed and an almost equal number of weapons including Insas rifles and SLRs looted has raised suspicions that this was preparation for Operation Lalgarh.

Though Orissa Police is not sure about how Orissa-based Maoists are helping their counterparts in Lalgarh, sources said in all probability arms looted by extremists from the state could have found their way into Bengal. "The central committee of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) decided how the looted arms and ammunition is to be distributed. Over the past few years, the radicals' aim has been to loot maximum weapons and explosives from Orissa. Ergo, there is every possibility that those might have been sent to other states," sources in the know disclosed.

The ultras had in February 2004 looted the district armoury in Koraput district, while in February 2008, they took away around 1,100 arms and truckloads of ammunition from police establishments in Nayagarh district. Recently, the Maoists had looted large quantity of explosives from Nalco mines in the Damanjodi area of Koraput.

Jharkhand police say that the Maoist sphere of influence stretches across state borders and nothing can be gained by talking of Moaists from Bengal or Jharkhand. "It is naive to say that Maoists from Jharkhand have crossed over to spread violence in Lalgarh," said IG S N Pradhan. Pradhan was reacting to Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's statement that Maoists from Jharkhand were causing trouble in Bengal. "Is CPI(Maoist) leader in Belpahari, Rahulji, from Jharkhand?" he asked sarcastically.

Jharkhand Police says that the Maoist corridor stretches from Pashupati in Nepal to Tirupati down south. "The Nayagarh incident in Orissa shows how Maoists from all over the country had congregated to kill 13 policemen and a civilian in a gunbattle. The Maoists have a limited guerrilla cadre and whenever a full strength is needed, they get together from all over the country," police said.

In the last week of May, the Chakulia police in the Ghatshila subdivision of West Singbhum district, bordering Purulia and West Midnapore in Bengal, had to push back members of the Maoist-backed People's Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA). Police also detained 11 PCPA women's wing members after which hundreds of PCPA men, women and children with traditional arms lay siege close to the police station.

This was followed by a series of landmine blasts and ambushes,with the Maoists almost capturing the coal city of Phusro in Bermo block of Bokaro district, where they killed 10 policemen in a landmine blast and looted rifles. The killings continued at Goelkera in West Singbhum, Khunti and Palamu. With the Lalgarh operation beginning only days later, questions are being raised on whether the incidents here were a prelude to the final operation.

Jharkhand Police, however, is on the alert fearing a similar Lalgarh like operation in the state. Whenever there is pressure from the police on the Maoists in any of these states, they cross over to bordering states till the dust settles.

The Bengal-Jharkhand border is very porous and the entry point is Purulia-Bankura-Chakulia to downhill Pabra and Jamshedpur. Though police claim to have sealed these borders, the terrain hands the Maoists an advantage. "We are on alert and have posted forces on the border. We're also in touch with our counterparts in Bengal," said DGP V D Ram.
 

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Maoists threaten to blow up Balimela hydro-electricity project

Staff Reporter

They take up populist issues to strengthen their base in Malkangiri

BERHAMPUR: Maoists have started to use populist demands to increase their support base among tribals and dalits living in remote areas of the district.

Maoists have threatened to blow up the Balimela hydro-electricity project if power supply was not provided to the non-electrified villages in Malkangiri district within two months. They have also threatened to blast the dams of Chitrakonda and Sileru projects if their demand was not met.

This new power supply related demand came up through posters of naxals pasted at Dalkhai village at a distance of around two kilometers from Chitrakonda town.

It may be noted that providing power supply to all remote villages has been a major political plank for the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Congress.

Rural electrification projects have been taken up through Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) of the Central government and Biju Gramin Jyoti Yojana (BGJY) of the State government . But these projects have been delayed for various reasons in Malkangiri district.

Through the recent posters the Maoists also repeated their old threat against the traders procuring forest and agricultural produce.

They threatened to kill or punish traders who were not providing proper procurement price to the tribals or were involved in exploitation through sale of essential goods at a higher price.

Names of some liquor traders of the area also found mention in the threat posters. They were threatened to be murdered if they did not stop selling liquor and Mahua, the local brew.

Naxals also burnt down five country liquor-brewing units near Chitrakonda during past two days.

According to intelligence sources through these rhetoric the Maoists are trying to pose themselves as social activists to increase their support base among the people living in remote areas.

And by it they want to alienate the common people from the administration and government.

The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : Maoists threaten to blow up Balimela hydro-electricity project
 

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Securing Lalgarh could take time: Chidambaram- Hindustan Times

Securing Lalgarh could take time: Chidambaram

Indo-Asian News Service
New Delhi, June 19, 2009
First Published: 14:16 IST(19/6/2009)
Last Updated: 14:42 IST(19/6/2009)

Security operations to free West Bengal's Lalgarh from Maoist control are on track but could take "considerably more time" than anticipated, Home Minister P Chidambaram said on Friday.

"The operation will take time. In fact, it will take considerably more time than had been expected," he said after briefing reporters after a cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"The forces are moving towards Lalgarh. They are moving cautiously. We are also appealing to the people, particularly the tribals, through loudspeakers and handbills that the forces are not against the people," Chidambaram added.

"The progress is slow but I can't say when the forces will reach Lalgarh. The operation so far is going according to plan," he maintained.

"We have to be prepared for the unexpected but I am confident that the operation will be successful.

Planning a three-pronged offensive to flush out the Maoists from Lalgarh, about 150 km from Kolkata, security forces on Friday continued their march towards the trouble zone as Maoist rebels dug more roads and burnt a bridge to stall them.

The heavily armed central and state forces, who are moving together to take on the Left wing radicals, resumed their operation Friday morning after a night halt near Koima, nearly 10 km from Lalgarh.

Detailing the manner in which the operations were being conducted, Chidambaram said the state police was "leading from the front" with the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) providing "assistance".

"The state government has provided adequate forces," he added.

He also deprecated the use of the word "war" by some media outlets to describe the operations.

"Don't call it a war. These are Indians. There is a party called the Communist Party of India Maoists. They have taken to arms. This is not a way to function in a democracy.

"We are dealing with a situation in which a militant organisation is challenging the writ of the civil administration. We are engaged in an operation to re-establish the civil authority. The use of the word war is totally inappropriate," Chidambaram maintained.

Conceding that the people of the area had grievances, the home minister said: "That is something to be addressed by the government of West Bengal.

"If anyone wishes to talk to the state government, they should come forward and do so. We will be very happy to facilitate such talks," Chidambaram said.

In this context, he noted that West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had been speaking to him everyday and was expected to call on the prime minister on Saturday.

Lalgarh has been on the boil since last November when a landmine exploded on the route of the convoy of Bhattacharjee and then central ministers Ram Vilas Paswan and Jitin Prasada.

Complaining of police atrocities after the blast, the angry tribals launched an agitation virtually cutting off the area from the rest of the district.

During the last few days, the agitators have torched CPI-M offices, driven away the party's supporters and forced police to wind up several camps, thereby establishing a virtual free zone.

Maoists have been active in the three western districts of the state - West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia. They also backed the Trinamool-sponsored movement against the state government's bid to establish a chemical hub at Nandigram in East Midnapore district.
 

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Security forces continue march to Lalgarh- Politics/Nation-News-The Economic Times

Security forces continue march to Lalgarh
19 Jun 2009, 1353 hrs IST, IANS

LALGARH: Planning a three-pronged offensive to flush out Maoists from West Bengal's Lalgarh region, security forces Friday continued their march towards the trouble zone as Maoist rebels dug more roads and burnt a bridge to stall them.

The heavily armed central and state forces, who are moving together to take on the Left wing radicals, resumed their operation Friday morning after a night halt near Koima, nearly 10 km from here.

"The operation is on in full steam. It is on track. The forces are moving. There has not been much resistance today," West Midnapore District Magistrate N.S. Nigam told IANS.

One person was detained from near Bhimpur for allegedly supplying information to the rebels in Lalgarh, where the Maoist guerrillas have been active in organising a tribal movement alongside a group called the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA).

The security forces, careful to keep casualties to a minimum, moved slowly as they came close to the four kilometre long Jhitka jungle, considered a Maoist den.

As part of the three-way movement, another police team is approaching this zone from Sarenga in Bankura while a third team is slated to zero in from Jhargram in West Midnapore.

A senior police officer said more police reinforcements are being brought in from Kolkata and other districts to ensure the forces remain fresh when they reach the core area in this West Midnapore block, about 200 km from state capital Kolkata, where the rebels and tribals could put up a stiff resistance.

The PCAPA has burnt a road bridge on Kangsabati river and dug up more approach roads to thwart the advancing forces but police said the security personnel were confident of reaching Lalgarh police station by Friday afternoon.

In Kolkata, senior officers were holding an emergency meeting at the state secretariat to take stock of the operation and plan future strategies. The government was also dropping leaflets from a helicopter, urging people of Lalgarh not to fall into the trap laid by the Maoists to use innocent villagers, women and children as human shields.

On Thursday, advancing security forces lobbed teargas shells and fired rubber bullets as they faced a massive "human wall" and firing by Maoists and tribals.

Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen said similar operations would also be launched in Bankura and Purulia districts.

"We will make areas under all the 18 police stations in the three Maoist affected districts free of the rebels," he said, adding that doors for discussions were open but first the violence needed to stop.

Top Maoist leader K. Koteshwar Rao alias Kishanjee told a TV channel that he claimed responsibility for the Wednesday night murders of four workers of the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) at nearby Goaltor.

Inspector General of Police (law and order) Raj Kanojia said 18 people had been arrested for the killings. Of them, three were from West Midnapore and 15 from Bankura.

Lalgarh has been on the boil since last November when a landmine exploded on the route of the convoy of Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and then central ministers Ram Vilas Paswan and Jitin Prasada.

Complaining of police atrocities after the blast, the angry tribals launched an agitation virtually cutting off the area from the rest of the district.

During the last few days, the agitators have torched CPI-M offices, driven away the party's supporters and forced police to wind up several camps, thereby establishing a virtual free zone.

Maoists have been active in the three western districts of the state - West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia. They also backed the Trinamool-sponsored movement against the state government's bid to establish a chemical hub at Nandigram in East Midnapore district.
 

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Forces moving cautiously in Lalgarh, ops will take time: Chidambaram - India - The Times of India

Forces moving cautiously in Lalgarh, ops will take time: Chidambaram
19 Jun 2009, 1403 hrs IST, PTI

NEW DELHI: The Centre said the security forces are moving "cautiously" in their operation against Maoists in trouble-torn Lalgarh in West Bengal and it would take some more time before they complete the task.

"The operation will take considerably more time as security forces are moving towards Lalgarh cautiously. They are also addressing people through loudspeakers and distributing handbills," home minister P Chidambaram told reporters here.

The home minister said operation in Lalgarh was not aimed at local tribals but at the Naxals who have taken control of the area.

"The operation is not against tribals but the Naxals," he said.

Chidambaram said the action against the Maoists were going on according to the plan and it would be successful soon.

"Adequate number of state police have been deployed there. The state police are taking the lead and the CRPF personnel are assisting in the operation," he said.
 

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IAF choppers drop leaflets over Lalgarh - India - The Times of India

IAF choppers drop leaflets over Lalgarh
19 Jun 2009, 1320 hrs IST, PTI

PIRAKATA (WB): Two IAF helicopters dropped thousands of leaflets over restive Lalgarh, where security forces are battling Maoist-backed tribals,urging locals to keep away from the troubled areas.

The leaflets, both in Bengali and Olchiki, the Santhali script, asked locals not to support the Maoists.

Meanwhile, police and security forces, which have launched an operation
to flush out Maoists from Lalgarh, have reached Kaima around 8 kms from the restive area, on Friday morning.

They now have to cross an around five kms patch of forest where the movement is expected to be slow in view of the possibility of the ultras having planted landmines in the stretch, a senior police officer said.

Security forces would also be moving towards Lalgarh from Sarenga on the border with Bankura district, he said.
 

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http://www.ptinews.com/pti\ptisite.nsf/0/D77CE9DF4B307A4E652575DA0033A0E1?OpenDocument

CoBRA forces begin operations

Saibal Gupta Pirakata (WB), Jun 19 (PTI) Two hundred personnel of the specialised anti-Naxal force, CoBRA, today began sanitising the Jhitkha jungle as security forces proceeded towards besieged Lalgarh in West Midnapore district.
As Jhitka jungle is a Maoist-dominated area en route to Lalgarh, where Maoist-backed tribals are in control, security personnel are waiting for the Command Battalion for Resolute Action to clear their way of possible landmines, a senior police official told PTI.

While the forces covered the 10 km distance from Pirakata to Pirakuli, another team of securitymen drove out from Sarenda in adjacent Bankura district in a pincer movement towards Lalgarh to cut off the escape routes of the Maoists, the police officer said.

The security forces used mine detectors to sweep the roads before driving ahead in heavy vehicles.

Two IAF helicopters dropped thousands of leaflets in Santhali and Bengali over Lalgarh asking the people not to let themselves be used as human shields by the Maoists.

The tribals under the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) blocked the passage to Lalgarh by felling trees and digging up roads and blowing up a bridge at Binpur, 12 km from Lalgarh. PTI
 

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Centre to Maoists: Lay down arms and come for talks

Centre to Maoists: Lay down arms and come for talks

Posted: Friday , Jun 19, 2009 at 1438 hrs IST


Home Minister P Chidambaram appealed to the
Maoists and the tribals to lay down arms.


New Delhi:

The Centre on Friday asked the Maoists in Lalgarh area of West Bengal to lay down arms and come for talks.

Home Minister P Chidambaram said he endorsed the appeal of West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to the Maoists and the tribals to come for talks.

"I endorse that appeal. If they wish to talk, they should come forward to do so. We will be happy to facilitate the talks," he told reporters after a Cabinet meeting in New Delhi.

The Home Minister said the ongoing operation by police and paramilitary personnel in Lalgarh would take more time and the forces should expect the "unexpected".

"Progress will be slow. They (forces) are making progress. ... So far, the operation is going according to plans but they must be prepared for the unexpected. I sincerely hope that with the kind of action we have advised, the operation will be successful.

"An operation of this kind will take some time. In fact, it will take considerably more time than was anticipated," he said when asked about the situation in Lalgarh.

He said the forces were "moving and moving cautiously" and the ongoing operation was not against the tribals but only against the Naxalites.
 

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The Statesman

Govt can’t tell between Maoists & activists

;Statesman News Service
KOLKATA, 18 JUNE: The state government today made it clear that it could not distinguish between the Maoists and the Police Santras Birodhi Public Committee (PSBPC) activists during its operation to restore peace in Lalgarh.
The state home secretary, Mr Ardhendu Sen, today said at Writers’ Buildings: “Now it is tough to distinguish between the PSBPC and the Maoists. There is no question of dialogue with the PSBPC until the violence comes to an end in the area. Our door is open for dialogue but this violence has to be stopped completely to establish rule of law.”
Mr Sen also said actual operation would start after police reach Lalgarh. “After reaching Lalgarh, counter-Maoist insurgency would start. Our prime object would be to arrest armed Maoists who are roaming freely in the area or at least flush them out. But the job is extremely difficult,” he said. He also pointed out that the objective of the state government would be to make all the Maoist-infested areas (a total of 18 police station areas in West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia districts) free from the grip of the ultra Leftists, apart from driving them out from Lalgarh.
“As per information, at least 100 armed and trained Maoist cadres are still in Lalgarh. Some of their top leaders like Kishenji are also present in the area. We have to reach some other parts also to establish rule of law in the area,” the home secretary added. The state has asked for more Central forces.
The home secretary said police had to lob tear gas shells and resorted to a lathi-charge to disperse a blockade put up by PSBPC supporters in Pirkata this afternoon when police started to move towards Lalgarh. He also informed that police have been asked to act in a restrained manner and at the same time they should be ready to face attack at any point of time.
The state would also keep a helicopter ready from tomorrow to fly any injured out of the troubled area. The chief secretary also hinted that specially trained group, CoBRA, would be used during the counter-Maoist insurgency operation.
Earlier, in the day, Mr Asok M Chakrabarti, the state chief secretary, said police and Central forces would go to the troubled area to establish rule of law and to ensure security for common people. He also said that common villagers are not involved directly with the violence but they are victims of the violent activities of the Maoists.
Meanwhile, the state government has decided to distribute an appeal released by the chief minister's secretariat in the troubled area tomorrow. The appeal, written both in Bengali and Santhali, urged the villagers to stay away from the Maoists and help the state government. It also says that common people should know that they are being used as human shields by the Maoists, whom it termed as terrorists. The leaflet also says that the state government is ready to hold discussions with the people of Jungle Mahal about the problems they face everyday.
 

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