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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Lalgarh revolt rows, Centre asks LF to act

Lalgarh, which has been a CPI(M) bastion for almost 30 years, continued to burn on Wednesday as the much-awaited Central forces were unable to flush armed Maoist cadres out of the so-called "liberated zone" in West Midnapore district of West Bengal.

Mobs allegedly led by Maoists went on a killing spree in neighbouring Jhargram, slaughtering three CPI(M) cadres. West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattcharjee is expected to discuss the situation with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday.

As violence escalated in the state, under Marxist rule for three decades, Union home minister P. Chidambaram said it was time the state administration took action. The Centre said while paramilitary forces might provide a supporting role, it was primarily the job of the state police to tackle the situation in Lalgarh.

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