Kolkata, April 8 : The West Bengal government Wednesday threatened strong action against agitating tribals who allegedly kidnapped 10 activists of the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Tuesday.The People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) members kept the CPI-M activist confined for hours in tribal-dominated Lalgarh, some 200 km from here, in West Midnapore district.
“Whatever happened yesterday (Tuesday) is unacceptable. We have taken serious note (of it),” said police inspector general (law and order) Raj Kanojia.
“If such incidents are repeated, we will take strong action as per the law against the perpetrators led by Chatradhar Mahato (PCAPA leader),” Kanojia said.
He alleged that efforts were on to create lawlessness in the area where the government Monday said that it would carry out a police action to flush out Maoist guerrillas before the Lok Sabha polls.
Asked about the police plan to enter Lalgarh, Kanojia said: “We have already entered several pockets by breaking the resistance of the PCAPA. Basically, there is only one pocket we have not been able to penetrate so far.”
The CPI-M activists were detained by PCAPA members after the arrest of two villagers in connection with an alleged attack on a local CPI-M leader.
Later the administration official got the CPI-M leaders freed after holding parleys with Mahato.
Trouble erupted in Lalgarh last November after the police arrested some school students and allegedly harassed tribal women following a landmine blast on the route of the convoy of Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and central ministers Ram Vilas Paswan and Jitin Prasada near Bhadutala area.
Later, the tribals dug up roads, virtually cutting off the trouble-prone zone from rest of the district. They also demanded a public apology from the police for the alleged excesses against them.