Midnapore: About a thousand CRPF personnel were on patrol on Friday in Maoist-affected Lalgarh in West Midnapore while a helicopter undertook an aerial survey ahead of Sunday`s visit by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram.
Chidambaram, after his arrival, would meet the district magistrate, police superintendent, IG (Western Range, DIG (Midnapore Range), IG (CRPF) and district administration and
state officials to review the outcome of the joint operations conducted to flush out Maoists from the tribal-dominated area, police sources told a news agency.
Ten companies of CRPF have been deployed at Lalgarh and more deployment will be made by tomorrow, besides using special anti-Naxal CoBRA personnel to tighten security in the area, the sources said.
The helipad at Lalgarh was was being guarded round-the-clock by the CRPF, the sources said.
Security personnel, equipped with night vision devices, were searching forests and the exercise will continue for five days, the sources said.
Twenty mobile camps of CRPF and CoBRA personnel were functioning at Lalgarh, Binpur, Salboni and Goaltore. A CRPF intelligence unit was also operating from Lalgarh, the sources said.
With heavy deployment of central forces in Bulanpur, Madhupur, Lalgarh and Kantapahari areas, the Maoist-backed People`s Committee against Police Atrocities has cancelled its scheduled demonstration, the sources said.
A meeting was held during the day by the district magistrate, police superintendent and DIG (CRPF) to review the security deployment and arrangement.
It was held at the BDO`s office in Lalgarh which reopened after one and a half months. It was functioning from the zila parishad`s office in Midnapore due to lack of police
protection in Lalgarh.
PTI
