Partial victory, say security forces

Lalgarh (WB), June 20 (PTI) Police on Saturday
claimed partial victory after the state police and central
security forces reclaimed Lalgarh area cut off for eight
months by Maoists in India's eastern state of West Bengal.

"It is a partial victory. The hundred per cent
operation is yet to be completed. It may take days, even weeks
to do this," DIG (Midnapore Range) Praveen Kumar told an
impromptu press conference outside the Lalgarh police station
here.

"We have an agenda to establish the rule of the law.
Our next move will be to clear 42 villages in areas in Lalgarh
from the agitators," he said.

Though it normally takes two hours to reach Lalgarh
from Midnapore, security forces took three days. "We moved
with caution. We took measures not to risk the lives of
ordinary people," Kumar said.

On the areas declared 'liberated' by the agitators, he
said, "the rule of the law is everywhere. There is no legal
concept of a no-entry zone. No one is more powerful than the
government."

Asked about Chhatradhar Mahato, the leader of the
People's Committee Against Police Atrocities spearheading the
tribal agitation since November last year, Kumar said he would
be arrested.

"We will crack down on all against whom cases are
pending," Kumar said.

On the strategy adopted in taking over Lalgarh, he
said, "It is the tactical advantage of our forces. Our forces
are a threat to the Maoists, not the people."

Questioned about the action by security forces at
Pirakata two days ago when teargas and lathis were used to
demolish a human shield put up by the agitators, Kumar said
"we will never like to attack anybody, but Maoists. But when
human shields are put up something may have happened on the
spur of the moment.

"Before arriving at Lalgarh we passed through villages
where people said they wanted security from Maoists. We, the
police, as friends of the people will provide them security,"
he said. PTI SAG
SKT
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