WB govt seeks centre's help to tackle Midnapore, Gorkhaland issues

New Delhi, Nov 11 (UNI) The West Bengal government today briefed the Centre on the Midnapore incident and the situation in Gorkhaland and is understood to have sought the home Ministry's help in tackling them.

West Bengal Chief Secretary A.K.Deb met Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta and discussed the recent incident at Midnapore and Gorkhaland issues, official sources said.

The meeting is significant as the state government wants more central para-military forces for deployment in the Maoists-dominated areas of Bankura, Purulia and West Midnapore.

The situation in Darjeeling is also tense as Gorkhaland agitation has intensified in the region.

Earlier, chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya himself had approached Home minister Shivraj Patil for redeploying CRPF.

The ongoing agitation by the indigenous people in Lalgarh in Midnapore West has gained momentum as local people blocked roads and took to streets beating drums and carrying their traditional weapons such as bows, arrows and tangis. They dug up roads and used tree trunks to clog traffic movement on the roads.

The agitators are demanding unconditional release of seven people arrested on charges of having Maoist link and their involvement in landmine blast on the convoy of the Chief Minister and Union Ministers Ram Vilas Paswan and Jatin Prasad on November 2 and punishment of policemen for alleged torturing of local people.

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