Troops advance from Lalgarh toward Maoist-held villages

Lalgarh (WB), June 21(ANI): Personnel of the CRPF, BSF and West Bengal police on Sunday started moving from Lalgarh to Ramgarh in an operation aimed at sanitising the main road and other connecting routes and wresting control of the 17 villages.

According to sources, the 19-km journey from Lalgarh, which the troops reclaimed on Saturday, is likely to be one of the toughest as the road has been mined.

The strategy of the forces will focus on wresting control of Barapelia, Chotopelia and Dalilpurchak in West Midnapore district where top Maoist leaders were reportedly holed up.

Barapelia is the home of Maoist-backed People's Committee against Police Atrocity (PCPA) convener Chatradhar Mahato and the PCPA headquarters.

Security forces had yesterday moved into Lalgarh and taken control of the police station even as ambushed a convoy en route to the area injuring six policemen.

According to DIG, Midnapore range, Praveen Kumar, they have regained control of Lalgarh, which was captured by Maoist rebels in one of the most brazen attacks in recent years.

Earlier, hundreds of Maoists, who were expanding their influence across the country, had chased away police and killed government supporters from around Lalgarh, which they declared a "liberated zone". (ANI)