Thaindian News

Kolkata, Oct 25 (IANS) Under assault from Maoists, the West Bengal government Sunday said it would spend Rs.7.5 crore to beef up security in and around 30 police stations across three rebel-dominated districts in the state.
“We have decided to revamp security arrangements in all 30 police station areas of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia district. We’ll strengthen these police stations with additional forces and will also provide special training to the police personnel so that they can combat any sudden Maoist attack in future,” state Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen told reporters here.

“We’ve decided to put up bunkers at the premises to make these police stations more secure. The government will also provide advanced firearms to the police personnel posted in these police station areas,” Sen said.

He said the government would put up concrete walls to fence off these police station areas.

“Special training would be given to the police personnel who will be posted across these 30 police stations areas. The training would be imparted to enhance their alertness,” Sen said, adding the government has already identified all these police stations that will have security beef-up.

According to sources, Chief Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborty placed the proposal before Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.

Bhattacharjee Sunday convened an emergency meeting at the state secretariat Writers’ Buildings to asses the security situation in Maoist-affected areas of the state.

Besides Sen, the meeting was attended by Chakraborty, state Director General of Police Bhupindar Singh, Kolkata Police Commissioner Gautam Mohan Chakraborty, Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Surajit Kar Purakayastha and many other senior state police officials.

“Initially the state director general of police (Bhupindar Singh) submitted a proposal worth Rs.7.5 crore which would be spent to revamp these 30 police stations across the Maoist-affected region,” Sen said.

Sen said, “The joint operation would continue in and around the violence-hit Lalgarh region.”

The move comes days after Sankrail police station officer-in-charge Atindranath Dutta was kidnapped, when around 50 Maoists riding motorcycles took him at gunpoint from his house to the Sankrail police station in West Midnapore district.

The Maoists then shot dead sub-inspector Dibakar Bhattacharya and assistant sub-inspector Swapan Roy and looted 19 firearms from the police station before whisking Dutta away to their hideout on a motorcycle.

The Left-wing ultras freed the police officer Thursday evening and handed him over to a group of journalists in Domohoni jungle in West Midnapore district. In exchange, the state government did not oppose the bail pleas of a group of tribal women charged with being Maoist sympathisers.