Red terror spreads: Sunderbans new territory of Naxals

The state police have received intelligence inputs that the Maoists are setting up a base in the remote areas of Sunderbans.

According to the police, Maoists are planning to use Sunderbans as a gateway to Bangladesh. Poverty and underdevelopment is the other reason for setting up their base in the Aila-hit areas.

Minister for Sunderban Affairs Kanti Ganguly wrote to the state police informing them about the trend and the threat it posed. 

“This is a serious threat. Now a committee has been formed backed by the Maoists. I have informed the state police regarding their growing influence,” said Ganguly.

“Apart from the four per cent tribals in Sunderbans,they are also trying to gain popularity among the other sections,” he said.

According to intelligence sources,Adivasi Janasadharan Bikas Committee has been set up in the remote areas of Sunderbans. This committee is perceived as an overground organisation on the lines of Peoples Committee Against Police Atrocities of Lalgarh.

“We have identified some areas in Sunderbans like Diamond Harbour where they are stepping up their activities. We are taking steps to tackle them and prevent their spread. It is true that the Maoists are spreading their base away from Jungalmahal,” said Bhupinder Singh,Director General of Police.

“We have also identified areas in north Bengal,especially the tea gardens where Maoists are spreading their activities. Some arrests have been made in those areas,” added Singh.

According to police,the newly formed committee has been holding secret meetings at various places in Sunderbans. They have been putting up anti-government posters in some parts of the delta. It is,however,not clear who are the leaders of the committee.

“Like Jungalmahal,they are moving into areas which are comparatively underdeveloped. Vast parts of Sunderbans are underdeveloped and the people are very poor. Various areas of Sunderbans are hardly accessible,which can be a perfect hideout for them,” said a senior police officer.

According to police sources,the Maoists are trying to make a corridor,stretching from West Midnapore to East Midnapore to Sunderbans in South 24-Parganas,to create a gateway to Bangladesh. “It is very easy to reach Bangladesh through Sunderbans. It is likely that they are trying to create a corridor which will lead to Bangladesh,” the police officer added.