Forces stop entry into Lalgarh

A group of intellectuals led by Jaidip Mukherjee,head of Legal Aid Services,an NGO,who tried to enter Lalgarh,was detained by the police near Salboni. This is a sham. Why cant we go in? I have heard that when Aparna Sen and Saonli Mitra entered Lalgarh recently,police slapped cases against them for violating Section 144, Jaidip alleged.

Meanwhile,hectic activity was seen at the recently recaptured Lalgarh police station,now a base camp for the security forces. Senior officers of the joint forces were busy holding meetings to chalk out their further plan of action. One of them,on condition of anonymity,said CoBRA forces and the CRPF personnel were sanitising the area of Maoist dens.

At least four police checkposts have been set up in between Bhadutala and Lalgarh Road. Apprehending that the Maoists might enter the areas disguised as mediapersons or traders,a thorough check has been initiated by the administration, said Samar Mitra,a senior officer supervising the operations at Pirakata. The district administration and police were also concentrating on regaining the confidence of the locals.

Meanwhile,locals held a protest demonstration near the Lalgarh Block Development Office,reopened two days back,as there was a shortage in the distribution of foodgrain for relief. Midnapore West District Magistrate Swarup Narayan Nigam visited the office in a helicopter and said everything would start functioning properly at the earliest. He said the administrations first priority would be to restart the public distribution system apart from providing relief to the locals. We have been asked to start all the schemes and projects like NREGA,old age pension plan and other development activities in the area very soon, added Nigam.