CPI-M activists obstruct central ministers on way to areas near Lalgarh

August 17th, 2009 LALGARH - The joint security forces and suspected Maoist rebels Monday clashed near Gohomidanga area in West Bengal's trouble-torn Lalgarh over a proposed meeting organised by a tribal body protesting police excesses in the region. According to police sources, the Maoists opened fire at the central paramilitary force troopers and the police personnel when they tried to stop people from heading towards Gohomidanga locality to attend a gathering called by the People's Committee against Police Atrocity (PCAPA) leader Chattrodhar Mahato.

July 29th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Wednesday demanding action against two union ministers of the Trinamool Congress because they violated collective responsibility of the government by questioning the cabinet decision of sending paramilitary forces to West Bengal's troubled Lalgarh region. "We are asking the central government to take necessary measures (against Minister of State for Rural Development Sisir Adhikari and Minister of State for Shipping Mukul Roy)," CPI-M politburo member Sitaram Yechury told reporters in parliament.

July 28th, 2009 LALGARH - A Trinamool Congress team, including two union ministers, reached here Tuesday to get a first hand idea of the situation after security forces were deployed to flush out Maoist rebels from this trouble-torn belt in West Midnapore district. Minister of State for Shipping Mukul Roy, Minister of State for Rural Development Sisir Adhikari and Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Partha Chattopadhyay were part of the delegation.

July 11th, 2009 LALGARH - Maoist rebels abducted and lynched two Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) activists here Friday night, even as the joint security operation to nab the ultras in and around the enclave of West Midnapore district continued. A group of the left-wing radicals raided the Chandra area near the Kotwali police station of the district and took away Baren Mahato and Gurucharan Mahato at gunpoint.

June 30th, 2009 LALGARH - A task force will visit Lalgarh and adjoining areas today to study the ground situation a day after security forces captured Kantapahari, the hub of the rebel agitation. Reconstituted by the West Bengal Government, the force, including eight officers, will visit Lalgarh, Ramgarh, Kantapahari and Pirakata in West Midnapore to supervise development work in the tribal areas.

June 29th, 2009 LALGARH - Using helicopter surveillance and marking from two flanks, security forces Monday reclaimed the remaining Maoist den of Kantapahari and entered the headquarters of the agitating tribals on the 12th day of the operation launched to flash out the rebels from in and around this area of West Midnapore district. While one group of central and state armed forces moved from Lalgarh in the south and retook Kantapahari, the other teams of troopers moved from Ramgarh in the north to march into Barapeli village - the hub of the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) which had virtually made Lalgarh a free zone for the last seven months by torching police camps and driving out the civil administration.

June 21st, 2009 KOLKATA - The West Bengal government Sunday appealed to central and state ministers, NGOs, intellectuals and journalists to stay away from the troubled zone of Lalgarh saying it was not in a position to provide security to them in view of Maoist activities in the area. "The central and state security forces are there.

June 21st, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Left parties Sunday appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ensure that the joint operations against the Maoist rebels in Lalgarh of West Bengal are not adversely complicated by utterances and actions" of some ministers. We have learnt through media reports that some members of the union council of ministers are proceeding to visit the affected areas and are making public comments which are adversely complicating the operations against the Maoists, said the letter written by the four parties.

June 20th, 2009 LALGARH - Security forces tasted the success in "Operation Lalgarh" by re capturing Lalgarh Police station amidst stiff gun battle and land mine blasts by the Maoist ultras in West Midnapore district of West Bengal. The security men celebrated as the police station fell in their way, which was out of bound for nearly six months after an attempt on life of the Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and two other union ministers in last November.

June 19th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) politburo met here Friday to discuss the Maoist violence in Lalgarh in West Bengal, problems in the party's Kerala unit and the debacle in the Lok Sabha elections. The party's top leaders, including the chief ministers of CPI-M-ruled states, are participating in the meeting.

June 18th, 2009 LALGARH - The West Bengal Police, supported by central paramilitary forces, initiated the operation to flush out Maoist from Lalgarh in West Midnapore District of West Bengal. It was the forth day, since the red brigade captured nearly fifty villages in and around Lalgarh, which is nearly 150 Km from the state capital Kolkatta, and declared it as the liberated zone.

June 17th, 2009 KOLKATA - Violence continues in West Bengal with suspected Maoists gunning down three ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) workers Wednesday in the Jhargram area, close to the troubled zone of Lalgarh, even as more central forces reached West Midnapore district. The latest incident is seen as an attempt by Maoists to expand their base to areas surrounding Lalgarh, 200 km from here.

June 17th, 2009 KOLKATA - Three activists of West Bengal's ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) were shot dead Wednesday by suspected Maoists in the Jhargram area, close to the troubled town of Lalgarh, in what is seen as a sign of the rebels expanding their activities. Motorcycle-borne Maoists gunned down the three activists, including a zonal committee member of CPI-M's student wing, Student's Federation of India, in Jhargram subdivision of West Midnapore, police said.

April 18th, 2009 KOLKATA - Agitating tribals in West Bengal's Lalgarh, who are resisting entry of police in the area, Saturday decided to allow central paramilitary forces to enter the troubled region for 12 hours for conducting elections April 30. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Peoples' Committee Against Police Atrocity (PCAPA), a group leading a movement against the state police at Baropelia area of Lalgarh in West Midnapore district.

April 11th, 2009 KOLKATA - A tribal leader in West Bengal's troubled Lalgarh region Saturday alleged that armed Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) cadres had attacked local villagers and torched their houses. 'A number of miscreants owing allegiance to the CPI-M have launched a sudden attack on the villagers today (Saturday) morning.