Thaindian News

Kolkata, Nov 2 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee will visit three districts hit by Maoist violence Saturday to review law and order and progress of development work, an official said Monday.
“During his stay in West Midnapore, the chief minister will review law and order situation. (He will also visit) Bankura and Purulia,” Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen told reporters here.

The chief minister will be on a two-day visit to the region.

Sen was talking after a high-level meeting of the chief minister, Chief Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborty and senior police officers.

The meeting took stock of the situation in the three districts, especially the forest areas, much of which are considered Maoist strongholds.

Sen said an additional six companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will reach Lalgarh in the next couple of days.

Asked about reports that many people and groups, apart from Maoists, have stockpiled arms in the three districts, he said: “If we receive a specific allegation, we will take steps against the offenders.”

The West Bengal government has deployed a large joint force of central paramilitary troopers and state police personnel to flush out Maoists from Lalgarh, where the leftwing rebels had virtually established a free zone by torching police camps and driving out the civil administration and the ruling Communists.

Maoists are active in areas falling under 21 police stations in the three districts.