Suspected Maoists ransacked an office of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and torched four trucks in the Lalgarh region of West Bengal’s Paschim Medinipur district since Tuesday.
There were also reports of suspected Maoists firing at police camps at Dhedua and Kantapahari.
One hundred Maoists ransacked the CPI(M)’s local committee office at Dhedua, 17 km from Lalgarh, late on Tuesday.
ADVERTISEMENT
Though the police did not make any arrest on Wednesday, such an action by the rebels at a site located within five km. of a police camp indicates their strong presence in the belt even two months after the operation to flush them out began.
Suspected Maoists set ablaze four trucks at Andharia on Tuesday for defying the indefinite bandh called by the Maoist-backed Police Santrash Birodhi Janasadharaner Committee (PSBJC).
The places adjacent to the forested areas in the districts of Paschim Medinipur, Purulia and Bankura, commonly known as Jangalmahal, witnessed a shutdown owing to the bandh, which began on Tuesday against the presence of the security forces in the region and their alleged atrocities on innocent people.
ADVERTISEMENT
The police baton-charged PSBJC supporters at Goaltore, 20 km from Lalgarh, on Wednesday while they were assembling for a rally under the leadership of Sidhu Soren, second-in-command of the PSBJC.
Police sources said 72 suspected Maoists were arrested since June 18.
The PSBJC leadership opened a public health centre for local tribals at Chuyashol near Dhedua.