The Hindu : National : Suspected naxalite attack casts cloud on talks

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Oct 16, 2004

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National

Suspected naxalite attack casts cloud on talks

By Our Special Correspondent

KOLKATA, OCT. 15. Yesterday's violence in West Bengal's West Midnapore district, in which six jawans of the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) were killed (four had died yesterday and two today) has queered the pitch for immediate talks between the State Government and the People's War, suspected to be responsible for the attack.

Less than a fortnight ago, the Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, had told The Hindu that an essential pre-condition for such talks was the laying down of arms by the ultras.

Echoing his views, Anil Biswas, CPI(M) state secretary and Polit Bureau member, reportedly said thatif the extremists continued to engage in such activity there would be no room for talks.

Outside aid

The West Bengal Government has suspected the involvement of militants from outside the State in the attacks in the districts of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia.

The identity of those directing the operations remains unclear even though intelligence reports suggest that many are "Telegu-speaking" and a "spill-over" from some other naxalite-affected States. Recently, a senior official of the State's Home Department pointed out "the need to know whom we will be talking to" before considering the possibility of talks.

Sophisticated arms

The State Government has information that a considerable portion of the sophisticated arms and explosives used by the militants are being smuggled in from outside the State.

Experts have been sent to the site of yesterday's violence in which three landmines were set off in quicksuccession resulting in the death of the EFR jawans, said the Inspector-General of Police (Law and Order), Chayan Mukherjee.

Four land mines unearthed by the police in Bankura district last month, prior to the Chief Minister's visit, are believed to have been smuggled in from Rourkela.

22 detained

Twenty-two persons have been detained in connection with yesterday's attack. The Special Inspector-General and DIG, Midnapore Range, Anil Kumar, said militants often take refuge in the neighbouring Jharkhand after engaging in violence on this side of the border. A stretch of the West Midnapore district's border with Jharkhand has been sealed as combing operations continue.

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