All channels open for securing release of 2 policemen

After securing the release of one man policeman in return for freedom to arrested 26 Maoist supporters, West Bengal government today said it would make 'all efforts' to secure the release of two other policemen abducted by naxals in West Midnapore district.

"All efforts mean all efforts. All channels will be kept open," chief secretary Asok Mohan Chakraborty told reporters here.

"When the Officer-in-charge of Sankrail Police Station Atindranath Dutta was abducted, we had to hold talks," he said.

"We will spare no efforts to secure the release of Kanchan Gorai and Sabir Ali Molla. chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is worried about them. We have information that Maoists have abducted them but their whereabouts are not known," Chakraborty said.

"We don't know if they are dead or alive. They are our colleagues. We are all worried for them," Chakraborty said.

Gorai, a sub-inspector and Ali a constable, were kidnapped when they were returning to their camp at Dharampur on a motorbike on July 30.

Asked if the state government would agree to conditions by Maoists, he said "if it is possible to agree, release can be ensured safely.

Questioned if the government would enter into a deal for their release, the chief secretary retorted "what deal? There can be discussions."

On the chief minister's assertion that it was the personal view of Home Secretary Ardhendhu Sen that the government had been 'soft' and gone for negotiation with Maoists in the case of Atindranath Dutta, Chakraborty said "it is a closed chapter."

He said he spoke to the chief minister in Delhi and Bhattacharjee did not state that the two policemen were dead. "The reference may be to some others but not the two missing policemen."

Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen said the government was in close contact with the families of the two abducted policemen.

Asked if the state government would adopt the same strategy which was employed to secure the release of Dutta, Sen said "that will be done case by case."

He said no decision had been taken on Dutta's transfer.

To a question, he said the chief minister had sought more forces from the Centre to counter Maoists in the state and anti-Maoist operations by joint forces would continue.

Earlier at a review meeting, it was decided to fortify all police stations, repair walls, improve police training and raise the number of sentries in West Midnapore district.