Kolkata: Expressing shock over the killing of two police officers and abduction of another cop by Maoists in West Midnapore, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee
today questioned the efficacy of the joint operations at Lalgarh.
"Whatever has happened in Sankrail is shocking and unfortunate. No one can support abduction of policemen or any one else and killings. But at the same time one must ponder over what benefit the joint operations by the central paramilitary forces and the state police has brought," she told reporters here.
"The question is uppermost in the mind when one considers the spate of incidents that have been taking place since the operations have begun... Yesterday`s incident at Sankaril has clearly shown whether the joint operations at Lalgarh is beneficial or detrimental. The Centre should investigate this," the railway minister said.
"We (TC) want the abducted police official return his home safe," Banerjee, who has stepped up pressure on the Centre to withdraw central forces from the trouble-torn area, said.
She had earlier claimed that the presence of central forces was only helping the CPI(M) at Lalgarh which is using it for turf control.
Maoists yesterday shot dead two police officers and kidnapped the officer-in-charge of Sankrail police station in West Midnapore district.
Bureau Report
