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Maoists set off blasts in Lalgarh

Raktima Bose

Militants breach round-the-clock security cover

— Photo: Arunangsu Roy Chowdhury

A securityman on vigil at Sijua village near Lalgarh after the blast at the Lalgarh police checkpoint on Thursday.

LALGARH (PASCHIM MEDINIPUR DISTRICT): Breaching round-the-clock security cover, Maoists triggered two simultaneous landmine explosions near a police checkpoint at the entrance to Lalgarh on Thursday morning.

The incident took place on the 15th day of the joint operation by the Central paramilitary forces and the West Bengal police against Maoists and activists of the Maoist-backed Police Santrash Birodhi Janashadharaner Committee (PSBJC).

No one was injured.

Around 7.30 a.m., two explosions were heard. The blasts left two deep craters by the side of the road.

What is puzzling the police is how two improvised explosive devices could be planted at a spot patrolled by security personnel throughout the day.

The blasts took place just outside the Binpur I block development office compound, where two departmental secretaries of the State government are put up.

“Though a high-security system is in place, it has to be upgraded in the wake of the incident. We have some information about the culprits and have sent teams to several places to arrest them,” Praveen Kumar, Deputy Inspector General, Medinipur Range, told media persons later.

There was no major force movement from the several base camps on the day. Combing operations in remote villages, however, continued.

Security force personnel found an abandoned motorcycle without a number-plate on the banks of the Kansabati river in Sijua village, 10 km from Lalgarh, during such an operation. The vehicle is suspected to have been used by Maoists.

“Security personnel in all the base camps have been asked to comb the villages and arrest all those whose names are on the warrant list,” Mr. Kumar said. “It is a continuous drive.”

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