Major hunt for Maoists in Jharkhand, West Bengal (Second Lead)

RANCHI/KOLKATA - Backed by air cover, security forces Thursday pursued Maoists in eight districts of West Bengal and Jharkhand in a major crackdown, seizing a huge quantity of arms and destroying concealed rebel camps in thick forests.

Director General of Police Neyaz Ahmad told IANS: “Yes, operations have been launched in many places in Jharkhand. West Bengal has also joined the inter-state operation against Maoists.”

Officials said the drive against the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) was on in West Singhbhum, East Singhbhum, Bokaro, Hazaribagh and Seraikela districts in Jharkhand as well as Purulia, West Midnapore and Bankura districts in nearby West Bengal.

An unspecified number of police and paramilitary personnel were involved in the coordinated operation that one Jharkhand police officer said began three days ago.

“Initially, the operation was kept a secret,” the officer told IANS on the condition of anonymity.

“The paramilitary forces and state police are sanitising the jungle areas. Some landmines have been recovered and four Maoist camps destroyed.

“The operation has air surveillance. Security forces have made a makeshift helipad in Saranda jungle area (in Jharkhand),” the officer added.

According to police sources, at least two helicopters, one each belonging to the Indian Air Force and the Border Security Force were providing aerial support to the security forces.

Ahmed added that the results of the operation were “very good”. “We have recovered a huge cache of weapons while security forces have entered deep into jungle areas.”

In Kolkata, however, Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Husan told IANS that the offensive started only Thursday. He said three helicopters were used for aerial surveillance.

Said another official: “The move is to zero in on Maoists in bordering areas.”

West Bengal and Jharkhand are among half a dozen states most acutely affected by Maoist violence that have claimed thousands of lives. The four other states are Bihar, Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

Orissa could join the campaign soon, a police source added.

The offensive follows a surge in violent attacks blamed on the increasingly aggressive Maoists, who have repeatedly rejected appeals from the government to give up violence.

Vijay Raman, the special director general of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Wednesday met the Jharkhand police chief here to reportedly discuss the inter-state operations against Maoists.

On Feb 9, Home Minister P. Chidamabram met the chief ministers and top officials of Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Orissa, reportedly to give a final shape to the anti-Maoist drive.