The Hindu : National : Twin bandhs force complete shutdown in some areas

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 25, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

National

National

Twin bandhs force complete shutdown in some areas

Raktima Bose

KOLKATA: Faced with twin bandhs called by the Maoists and the Maoist-backed Police Santrash Birodhi Janasadharaner Committee (PSBJC), parts of three West Bengal districts – Paschim Medinipur, Bankura and Purulia – popularly described as jangalmahal, witnessed a complete shutdown on Monday.

While the PSBJC had called for an indefinite bandh since August 18 in protest against the presence of the Central security forces in Paschim Medinipur’s Lalgarh region, the Maoists called for a 48-hour-bandh beginning Monday in the five States of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and Chhattisgarh in protest against the arrest of two Communist Party of India (Maoist) members, Anilji and Kartik, by the Bihar police on August 19.

In an SMS press statement, Maoist leader Kishanjisaid an indefinite bandh would be observed in Bihar and Jharkhand if the Bihar government failed to produce the two arrested Maoists in court.

Meanwhile, security forces, including Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (COBRA) personnel , conducted combing operations in several parts of Midnapore town late on Sunday, following intelligence inputs that a group of armed Maoists had entered the town .

According to police sources, the intelligence reports proved to be alarming since the Maoists had recently started striking at will at several places near Midnapore town.

A high-level meeting to adopt a strategy in the wake of a Maoist attack in Midnapore town was held at the Paschim Medinipur police headquarters on Monday. It was attended by a Criminal Investigation Department team, senior officials of the Central Reserve Police Force and the State police.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National