Will intensify operation against Maoists: Buddha

As per the initial reports,the Maoists have done this. The operation against them will be intensified and all-out efforts will be made to free the state and the country from this danger, Bhattacharjee told reporters. This is a difficult job but the government is confident to confront them.

We have fought against the Naxals in the sixties and seventies and we won. The difference between that time and now is that the Maoists are coming from another state like Andhra Pradesh. But we would oppose them politically and administratively, Bhattacharjee said.

He also said that they had no idea that the Maoists would resort to such action against the innocent people although they Maoists are observing black day in the region. They observe black day,black week frequently. But we had no idea they would commit such a dastardly crime against innocent people, the CM said.

Before the programme started,a minutes silence was observed in memory of those killed in the incident.

Earlier in the day,Bhattacharjee sent five of his Cabinet colleagues to oversee the rescue operations. Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta,two ministers from the disaster management department,Murtaza Hussain and Sreekumar Mukherjee,Paschimanchal Western Zone Development Minister Susanta Ghosh and Irrigation Minister Subhas Naskar reached the spot.