Lalgarh reluctant as buses lined up to ferry voters

The district administration in West Midnapore has arranged for 12 buses to ferry 24,000 voters from disturbed areas of Lalgarh where....

The district administration in West Midnapore has arranged for 12 buses to ferry 24,000 voters from disturbed areas of Lalgarh where the police have not been allowed to enter till date following the so called atrocities in the aftermath of the Salboni blast on Chief Ministers convoy in November 2008.

The administration is also trying to tackle a situation arising out of a poll boycott call given by Maoist outfits in the forest areas of Jhargram like Belpahar and its vicinity.

However,villagers of these areas have expressed their reluctance to go out of Lalgrah for casting votes.

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On Wednesday,helicopters continued the aerial survey of the Maoist stronghold in West Midnapore. Sources in the administration said a helipad had also been set up at Lalgarh after the instruction of the Election Commission.

On April 22,Chief Electoral Officer Debasish Sen had held a meeting with leader of the Police Resistance Committee Chatradhar Mahato,following which the district administration had set up 30 booths at Lalgarh. Voters of two gram panchayats like Katapahari and Sejua are supposed to cast their votes at Lalgarh and Ramgarh.

District Magistrate of West Midnapore N S Nigam said the administration had made necessary arrangements so that the voters could exercise their franchise. The 12 buses will ply between the villages and booths at Lalgarh and Ramgrah to ferry the voters from 6 am onwards.

Meanwhile,posters of some Maoist groups urging people to boycott the elections have also appeared around Lalgarh and Belpahari areas.

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A total of 30 companies of central paramilitary forces have been deployed in the areas of Lalgarh and Belpahari police stations alone.