Steps to curb Maoist menace in W.Bengal
Friday, June 15, 2007
Statesman News Service
PURULIA, June 14: The Purulia police cautioned all the 21 thanas, specially the Maoist infested Bandwan, Jaipur, Barabazar, Jhalda, Boro and new Kotshila, following the Maoist attack in Lalgarh and Belpahari of the West Midnapore district last week.
The Maoists exploded one land-mine on 7 June, and another on 10 June, targeting the police and injuring one in Midnapore West. The Police administration of Purulia has also imposed red alert, as the Maoist movement is on the rise in Jharkhand and Chattishgarh. "We shall not take any risk, and we never wait for any sudden attack by the ultras," said an official of Purulia police.
As a result of this, the security has been tightened in the bordering areas of West Bengal (Purulia) and Jharkhand (Ranchi, Dhanbad, Jamshedpur and Bokaro) All the nine check posts between Purulia and Dhanbad, and Jamshedpur, Ranchi and Bokaro districts had been cautioned.
"Armed police, including the central para-military force are also keeping a close watch, and are frequent raiding the jungle areas of Purulia and the neighbouring districts of Jharkhand," informed a concerned police official: "However, we shall never give details of police operation" he told the Statesman here today.
Meanwhile, Pijush Guha, a Kolkata based businessman was arrested in Chattisgarh, and brought to Purulia for being allegedly involved in the blasting of the Gurpara police camp in Bandwan of Purulia district on 4 October, 2005. He was produced in Purulia Court last week, when the chief judicial magistrate (acting-in-charge) of Purulia passed an order to send him to police custody for investigation. Mrs Rupa Guha, the wife of Mr Pijush Guha, however, ruled out the possibiility of her husband's involvement in the case. While talking to the media persons at the Purulia Court campus, Mrs Guha strongly criticised the Chattisgarh police for unnecessary harassment.
Mr Sagar Mondal, an advocate, pleaded to release Mr Pijush Guha, as he appealed for bail. The chief judicial magistrate of Purulia, however, refused the bail petitions. A suspected Maoist supporter called Dolgoinda Kumbhakar was arrested, who is a resident of Koira village, Patamda thana, East Singhbhum district of Jharkhand. He was allegedly involved in the gun looting case of Berada village in Barabazar of Purulia on 29 November 2006. To curb the menace of criminals and political extremists in West Bengal and Jharkhand, a high level meeting headed by the IGP of Dumka and the west zone (West Bengal) was held at Durgapur. It remains to be seen whether this offers a
solution.
posted by Resistance 6/15/2007 03:22:00 PM,
