န Day 3 Of The Battle For Lalgarh

Security forces reach Lalgarh police station in Day 3

Arpan Mukherjee and Jayanta Ghosh, Lalgarh, 20 June : Pushing deeper into besieged Lalgarh, security forces today reached the police station in the area, which was cut off by Maoists for months.
An anti-landmine vehicle cleared the path for the security personnel who reached the police station without much resistance to take charge of the building was locked from inside. Central forces, comprising men from BSF and CRPF, fanned out in the forests for combing operations against the Maoists. The securitymen in camouflage and bullet-proof vests sanitised the five-km stretch of Jhitka jungle, a Maoist area near Lalgarh in West Midnapore district. AK-47 and Insas rifle-toting security men came under intermittent fire from Maoists at the Pingboni-Sarenga road on Saturday, ASP Burdwan Humayan Kabir told Bengal Newz. Two landmines planted on the road, which was also blocked with felled trees, were defused, Kabir, who was leading one of three teams headed for Lalgarh from Binpur, said.
Another two teams were led by IGP (HQ) Harmanpreet Singh and Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Ranvir Kumar. A bridge over a shallow river which had been blown up earlier by Maoists created a temporary obstacle, but it could be crossed on foot. On Friday night, the Maoists fired on the Lalgarh police station, with the police retaliating. န Photo : Bengal Newz
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West Bengal govt may ban Maoists : CM Buddhadeb
New Delhi, 20 June : West Bengal government is considering banning the CPI (Maoists) after the Centre's suggestion to the state government in this regard following the Naxal violence in Lalgarh.
"Home Minister Chidamabarm advised me to ban this organisation. We have to give it a serious thought," West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee told reporters after meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chidambaram. "We have started thinking what to do," he said. Chidambaram had yesterday said that the state government should ban the Maoists. "We think they (Maoists) should be banned in West Bengal as in other states," he had said.
Bhattacharjee said the Home Minister assured him that if the state government required more forces, he would be ready to send them. The West Bengal government has already deployed about 1,300 personnel of CRPF and about 600 BSF men. န Photo : Reuters
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10 hurt in readymade garment factory clash
Dhaka, 20 June : At least 10 people were injured today in a clash between workers and owners of a readymade garment factory at Malibagh in the capital. The clash began at Loman Fashion at about 10:00am(New BDST) after the workers protested against sacking of two female workers, sources said.
More than 70 fellow workers this morning went to the authorities of the factory demanding reappointment of the two workers. At one stage, the workers took to the street and blocked the DIT road for an hour. Of the injured, five were rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) and the rest five were admitted to different nearby hospitals, sources said.
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70% new faces from LF in next Tripura Panchayat poll
Agartala, 20 June : The CPI(M)-led Left Front has nominated fresh candidates in about 70 per cent of Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti seats for three-tier Panchayat election to be held on 20 July.
Two Zilla Parisad Sabhadhipatis out of four and 19 out of 23 Panchayat Samiti chairpersons did not get nomination this year while the party indicated that freshers would get preference in Gram Panchayat level.
West Tripura Zilla Parisad Sabhadhipati Shukla Sarkar had been nominated for Panchayat Samiti but the Saha-Sabhadhipati did not get nomination while Dhalai Zilla Parisad Sabhadhipati was also eliminated from the candiadte list.
Unfazed by the reverses suffered by Left Front in West Bengal and Kerala in just concluded Lok Sabha poll, the party brought fresh candidates in the election, though CPI(M) spokesperson Goutam Das told Bengal Newz due to reservation norms they were compelled to bring new faces.
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PCAPA's Tribals torched houses of CPI(M) leaders
PTI, Midnapore, 20 June : Tribals on Saturday torched houses of two CPI(M) leaders at Baita area in West Midnapore district, police said.
The tribals under the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) set ablaze the house of Ranjit Giri at around 12 noon. They then damaged the house of another CPI(M) leader Atonu Giri located in the neighbourhood. One person, identified as Haren Modi, was detained in this regard, police said.
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Mango, silk, Gambhira festival begins in Rajshahi city
Rajshahi, 20 June : A three-day mango, silk and Gambhira festival began in Rajshahi yesterday with a call for promoting local products and culture.
Rajshahi Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton inaugurated the fair at Green Plaza at Rajshahi Nagar Bhaban. Amra Rajshahi Basi is organising the festival while Banglalink is the sponsor of the festival. Different varieties of mango and silk products were put on display at the stalls while different cultural organisations performed Gambhira, a popular folksong and dance of the region.
Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner M Hafizur Rahman Bhuiyan, Abdul Matin Khan, president of Amra Rajshahi Basi, and President of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industries Abu Bakkar were also present. န Photo : Banglapedia