Protests continue against force deployment in West Bengal to counter Maoists

Hooghly/Kolkata, July 28 (ANI): Tribals armed with bows and arrows on Monday blocked highway and railway tracks in Hooghly district as a mark of protest against the deployment of security forces in Lalgarh region.

Hundreds of protestors under the banner of Jharkhand Disom Party (JDP), a tribal organisation, demanded immediate withdrawal of security forces from Lalgarh.

"Our demands are the immediate withdrawal of joint forces from Lalgarh and to solve the Lalgarh issue through talks," said Hansa Murmu, a leader of JDP.

Meanwhile, intellectuals organised a public meeting in Kolkata and demanded that the security forces should vacate schools in Lalgarh as the regular studies were getting disrupted.

"We demand the police vacate their camp from the school so that students can study.

And irrespective of the joint operation by security forces about 12-13 people have been killed in last one month. Thus we believe they are not doing any work. If such is the situation we believe hundred thousands of rupees that are being spend on their deployment are getting wasted," said Saonly Mitra, theatre personality.

Mitra further said that central government should intervene and immediately withdraw security forces from Lalgarh, as they are not doing much work there.

On June 20, Police had regained control of Lalgarh, which was earlier captured by the Maoist rebels in one of the most brazen attacks in recent years that sparked unease among investors in the communist-ruled state.ince then the Maoists have eluded the security forces.

Earlier, the Government at the Centre banned and formally labelled the Maoist insurgents "a terrorist group", hoping it would give security forces more enforcement powers after the rebels briefly created a "liberated zone" in West Bengal. (ANI)