In a letter faxed to media houses in Purulia, Maoists asked the security forces not to take part in operations directed against it.
Maoists have threatened more Dantewada-type attacks unless the West Bengal government and the Centre withdraw Operation Green Hunt immediately.
Maoist leader Bikram, who heads operations in Bengal’s Purulia district, sent a fax to media houses in Kolkata on Sunday which read, “If Operation Green Hunt is not withdrawn immediately, the combined forces in Bengal should be ready to face a Sukma-type assault anytime now. We will attack all government and private buildings that the combined forces are using for the operation. We will destroy all roads and railway routes being used to supply food and arms to the combined forces. We’ll also demolish panchayat offices.”
The message said that despite giving assurances that it is keen to hold talks, the CPI(M)-lead West Bengal government and the Congress-lead Union government had deliberately chosen the path of violence against Maoists. “The Congress and the CPI(M) are not ready to shun violence, as a result of which ordinary people and security personnel are dying every day,” the missive said. Nowhere in the message did the Maoists mention the Trinamool Congress.
Aerial survey begins
In Orissa, the government and the Central Reserve Police Force have increased surveillance along the state’s border with Chhattisgarh.
Air surveillance is being carried out because officials believe Maoists involved in the Dantewada attack might try to sneak into Orissa through the districts of Malkangiri and Koraput. Dantewada is 35 km from Malkangiri.
Right now, security personnel and police are keeping a watch over Malkangiri from a chopper. Another chopper is expected to arrive within a week. “That chopper will be used for surveillance and providing medical assistance to forces in emergencies,” a senior officer associated with Operation Green Hunt said on condition of anonymity.
“We have upped security along border areas. All vehicles entering the district are being checked,” Malkangiri superintendent of police Aniruddha Singh said.
The government wants to send troopers to Malkangiri’s interiors — Motu, Kalimela, MV-79, Chitrakonda, Janbai and Raleguda — on choppers. This is because most roads are covered with landmines and the government is eager to avoid casualties at any cost. Security personnel have already made an aerial survey of the Orissa-Andhra Pradesh border.
According to sources in police, Maoists are planning to procure more air-defence guns to bring down choppers. It is suspected that the rebels already have three such guns which were procured from an agency in Colombia in 2005.
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