New Delhi: The Central Government has sounded an alert for five Naxal-hit states, warning them against possible violence by Maoists.
The alert comes in the wake of a 48-hour bandh called by the Naxals, starting on Monday. The Home Ministry specifically sounded Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal among other states.
Intelligence inputs suggested that likely targets could be railway and bus stations and places where people are likely to gather in significant numbers. It has also asked security personnel to remain vigilant against IEDs and landmines.
Meanwhile two Naxal cadres have been killed in an encounter with polcie forces in Malkangiri in Orissa. They were spotted carrying a hand grenade in a bag during a security check Sunday evening on the outskirts of Malkangiri, 620 km from state capital Bhubaneswar.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Sanjeeb Kumar Panda was quoted by news agency IANS as saying that the two guerrillas escaped into a nearby forest where they were shot dead. He said two 9 mm pistols were seized from them.
There were also reports that Naxals beat up railway officials at Biramdih station in West Bengal's Purulia district and planted an IED on the tracks, halting train movement in the area.
Police have made a timely recovery in the eastern Purulia area as well. Using weapon sensors, they unearthed a large cache of explosives from a railway track. It's believed these were going to be detonated by Naxals to attack passing trains.
What could have been a major disaster has been averted.
Four suspected Naxals were held by security personnel in Sarenga in Bankura district while attempting to plant landmines.
The men were nabbed from near a canal in the area close to the inter-district border between West Midnapore and Bankura, police sources said. The trouble-torn area of Lalgarh is in West Midnapore district where security forces have launched an operation to flush out Maoist rebels.
A firearm, detonator, wire and mobile phone were recovered from them.
Among those nabbed, Dipak Mahapatra and Bikash Mandal, are residents of Khayerpahari, while Rajiv Kisku and Manas Murmu are from Onda in Bankuara. They are now being interrogated, the sources said.
Naxals also blew up a railway track in Nimdih in Jharkhand as well as an anti-landmine truck in Chakula in Jamshedpur district - which is barely 40 km from Lalgarh where commandos have begun operations to reclaim the area from Naxals.
In West Bengal, commando forces have resumed their operations to reclaim Lalgarh after a day of rest.
Security forces are now aiming to set up base at Ramgar police station. Once captured, the forces will surround the 42 villages in the zone which had banned police entry for the past eight months and storm it from both sides.
The West Bengal government will decide whether to go for talks with the tribals in the area before the scheduled talks on July 14.
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