Singur on Maoist map

Singur on Maoist map

Statesman News Service
KOLKATA, Oct. 1: The security of a CPI-M Hooghly district committee member has been tightened after intelligence reports came in that Maoists have targeted him for taking up a series of programmes to pacify the farmers who have waged a war against the state government over land acquisition for the proposed automobile plant in Singur.

The CPI-M leader, Mr Dibakar Das, who lives in Singur, admitted to the report and said that Maoists were imparting training to farmers of Khaserveri and Bajemelia villages to intensify struggle against the CPI-M and police. “The Maoists cadres are frequenting these two villages at night and instigating farmers to launch a bloody battle.

They enter these two villages at night and leave early in the morning. We came to know that Maoists were coming from Burdwan, Bally and Uttarpara. Leaders of some mainstream political parties are providing logistical support to the Maoists. We have told police to intensify patrolling in these two villages,” said Mr Das, who lives at Khaserveri village.

Police have raided these two villages twice to nab the Maoists after being tipped off about their presence. But the Maoist cadres had managed to escape before police reached the villages. Local CPI-M leaders suspect that Maoists have built up a counter intelligence network in these two villages.

Senior police officers of the district, however, were tight-lipped on Mr Das’s comment. However, a senior police officer said that security arrangements for Mr Das have been tightened on the basis of intelligence reports. Mr Supratim Sarkar, superintendent of police, Hooghly, has rubbished apprehensions that Khaserveri and Bejemelia can turn into a Maoist hub.

“Mr Das is enjoying police security for last six years and their is nothing new in it,” said Mr Sarkar. The Statesman had earlier reported that Maoists were trying to build a base in certain villages in Singur.

“Maoists from neighbouring districts have been visiting Singur in a bid to win over villagers and build a base there since the anti-land acquisition stir began. Usually, they enter Khaserveri and Bajemelia through roads linking these two villages with Durgapore Expressway.

They come on two wheelers and speed away through Durgapore Expressway before sunrise,” Mr Das told The Statesman. An officer of the district intelligence branch, however, said that Maoist cadres impart training of guerilla warfare to the farmers in these two villages. They also train people to use bow and arrows,” said the officer.