Maoists pushed out of Lalgarh

Lalgarh: Security forces on Monday registered a major victory against the Maoists reclaiming rebel strongholds Ramgarh and Lalgarh without any resistance.

Not a single bullet was fired and not even one rebel leader was arrested as two batches of troops moving in from Lalgarh and Ramgarh for the final assault met at Katapahari securing the entire zone which had been out of bounds for West Bengal administration for the last eight months.

"Operations are not over. Entering Katapahari is part of the operation," said Praveen Kumar, DIG, Midnapore range.

But the operations are by no means fully over. Security forces still apprehend counterattacks from armed Maoists who for now have been pushed back.

"We are taking all possible precautions so that if the attacks take place then we are able to counter that," DIG, CID (Operations), SN Gupta said.

The forces are now setting up camp at the Katapahari High School where the rebel tribals were running a refugee relief camp for people who were caught in the crossfire between the forces and the Maoists and had to leave their homes a week back.

But the police presence has still not given them the confidence to return home.

"If everybody returns I will return as well. But how can I return alone," Hiramoni Soren, resident of Kumar Bandh village, said.

"If things quickly come back to normal, we will return home soon," said Doman Hansda, resident of Bandh Bansberia village.

The refugees have now been pushed out of their relief camp but they are still hanging around fearing a Maoist backlash.

By securing the zone between Ramgarh and Lalgarh, security forces have established government presence in area which looks like a complete circle on the map of the region.

The task now is to reclaim vulnerable zones outside the circle and restore people's faith in the state administration.

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