Kolkata: Two days after 24 EFR jawans were
killed in the deadliest Maoist strike in West Bengal, the
state government on Wednesday ordered an inquiry into the incident
and said action would be taken against senior officers if they
were found wanting.
"An official inquiry has been ordered into the incident,"
West Bengal Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen told reporters here
after a high level meeting which reviewed the situation in the
wake of the Maoist attack.
"It is not a clear case of intelligence failure. There
was intelligence report that the Maoists were assembling in
the area, though there was no specific information that they
may attack the EFR camp," he said.
Asked if action would be taken against senior officers if
they were found wanting, Sen said, "Let us complete the probe.
A specific charge against any officer has to be established.
If anyone is found guilty, action will be taken."
On the issue of the state government`s inaction when it
had possession of intelligence report of such attacks, Sen
said the report had come into its (the state government`s)
hand
at 2.00 pm only, barely three hours before the attack, and it had
taken time for the information to percolate down to the lower
level.
The sentries at the EFR camp had retaliated in which one
Maoist was killed and some others were injured, he said. "But
there was some lapse no doubt".
PTI
