The operation by security forces to flush out Maoists and activists of the Maoist-backed Police Santrash Birodhi Janasadharaner Committee (PSBJC) from Lalgarh and its adjoining areas in West Bengal’s West Medinipur district entered the 20th day on Tuesday(July 7). Lalgarh,a tiny hamlet about 200 km away from Calcutta.
Trouble started when the houses and offices of Marxist leaders in and around Lalgarh were attacked and burned down by protestors backed by Maoists.Lalgarh and surrounding areas became free zones for Maoists for seven months.Top ranking Maoists leaders appeared before the media(without facing the camera).Protesters alleged that corrupt Marxist leaders exploited tribals for years.On Novermber 2,2008,when two union ministers and chief minister of Bengal, Buddhadev Bhattacharya narrowly escaped from an explosion.Investigations by the police revealed that the lalgarh squad of the Maoists were behind the attackThree of the six people arrested in connection with the Lalgarh blast in West Midnapore District were school going boys.On Nov.9,a tribal outfit had set a series of conditions against the arrests of ‘innocent villagers’ to the District administration.Local people cutoff 25 out of 100 villages in Lalgarh,disconnecting them from the rest of the district.They also cut off the last road connecting Lalgarh to the rest of the state.Maoists threatened an armed resistance in the area.On Nov.14,Pulishi Santrash Birodhi Jonosadharoner Committee(Committee to protest against Police atrocities) a new outfit was formed.Inaction of Police helped to spread out the violence and anarchy.Maoists backed PSBJC also boycotted the general election in Lalgarh areas.
Paramilitary forces led by Bengal police started offensive against Maoists on thursday(June 18) in Lalgarh.Marxist government of Bengal try to take back Maoist-controlled Lalgarh and surrounding areas.Large number of Paramilitary forces led by Bengal police.Central Reserve Police Force(CRPF)’s COBRA unit secilizes in jungle warfare are also involved in this operation.
On September 21,2004, three left-wing Extremist groups to form a new outfit,the Communist party of India-Maoist(CPI-Maoist).After the merger, CPI-Maoist’s area of operation extended from Nepal, Bihar,Jharkhand to forest regions of Central India.Maoists also active in Andhra Pradesh in the South and West Bengal(three distriicts)in East.According to Maoists,their immediate intention is to advance ‘new democratic revolution’ in India.Maoists want to overthrow’the semi-colonial, semi-feudal system under the neo-colonial form of indirect rule, exploitation and control’.According to Maoists this revolution will be carried out and completed through armed agrarian revolutionary war.
Naxal movement derived its name in Bengal from Naxalbari,tiny hamlet in Northern part of BengalDarjelling district) in March 1967.It became known as Naxalbari movement and spread across the state and continued for long six years.It finally crushed in 1973.This movement revived on July 9, 2005 when Marxist leaders and a policeman were killed in two separate attacks by ultra left extremists.After the incident scores of policemen and marxist leaders and innocent people were killed in landmine blasts by Maoists also called Naxals.Maoists spread their wings in tribal areas of West Bengal because democratically elected government failed to provide basic amenities.Government failed to provide basic amenities lie water,electricity,road,heath centre.On June 19,two police men injured when Maoists detonated an improvised explosive device(IED) targetting a police jeep.On June 19,the security forces faced stiff resistance as there was sporadic firing,Maoists guerrillas returned fire.Maoists in India generally use gelatine sticks and other explosives, detonators.They also use rocket launchers AK47s,INSAS,SLRs.They frequently use mprovised Explosive Devices (IEDs) to attack security forces.Maoists have the access of large number of country-made weapons regularly supplied by illegal arms dealers.Maoists run around 80 training camps in deep jungles all over India.They also use high-tech communication equipments.
Bastar and Dantewada are the most affected districts of Chhattisgarh.Other districts that are affected by Maoists are Jashpur,kanker,Rajnangaon ,Surguja and Kawardha.In Andhra Pradesh(AP)the most affected districts affected by Maoists extremism are Karimnagar,Warangal,Nalgonda.Other states of India that are affected by Maoists insurgency are Bihar,Jharkhand,Orissa.
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