Hunger Bengal weapon

The West Bengal administration on Monday changed tack and launched an attempt to alienate local residents from the Maoist rebels by distributing rice and relief materials to people in the poverty-stricken belt of West Midnapore district as well as some adjoining areas.

The hunt for the elusive ultra-left rebels continued at the same time, with the state government planning to send 10 more companies of the Central Reserve Police Force to Lalgarh. An undeclared ceasefire continued for the second consecutive day and the security forces remained on high alert.

As a goodwill gesture, the administration distributed relief materials to those “distressed and displaced” following the three-day battle between the Maoists and the forces.

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Siliguri turns into warzone, Army on call

Siliguri became a war zone on Thursday as mobs of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters and local residents fought pitched battles, as tension spread in the Darjeeling hill district.

The rioting forced West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in Kolkata to seek Army deployment, but with the situation improving later in the day the Army was asked to remain on standby. “I had a talk with Army officials and asked them to stay alert,” he said.

Flag marches were, however, held by paramilitary jawans, and in response to the state’s request New Delhi ordered the dispatch of 10 more companies — almost 1,000 men — of the CRPF, BSF and SSB. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC were imposed in Siliguri subdivision.

Rattled by the worsening crisis in the Darjeeling hills, the CM has called an allparty meeting on June 17 to find a political solution. “I request all people, in the hills and the plains, to maintain peace and amity,” he said. After the GJM sus pended its “indefinite” bandh in the hills for 60 hours, ostensibly to allow tourists to leave the area safely, some outfits like the Jan Chetna Morcha, Amra Bangali and Bangla Bhasa Bachao Samiti called a 48 hour bandh in the plains.

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