Maoists call 24-hour shutdown in Bengal, Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar, Chhattisgarh
Ranchi (Jharkhand): Maoists called a 24-hour shutdown on Saturday in the five states of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar and Chhattisgarh to protest the killing of their leader Lalmohan Tudu. People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCPA) President Lalmohan Tudu was killed on Monday (February 22) during an encounter with the security forces in West Bengal's Lalgarh district. The impact of the
shutdown was felt in the rural areas in Jharkhand, where the rebels reportedly have a
stronghold. Highways bore a deserted look with many vehicles stranded on the roads
since midnight as the truck drivers claimed they would move their vehicles only under
security
cover. Bhupinder Singh, a truck driver said, "Because there is a shutdown today,
so people are not going forward out of fear and since my truck is loaded with
fuel for the airline and if something goes wrong then the damage would be massive."
"We are waiting and keeping a watch. The moment we spot any security personnel,
we will move ahead, else we would not be able to go further, added Singh. The
State government has deployed security personnel at important places to avoid
any untoward incident. The police personnel say that Tudu was killed while leading
an attack on a paramilitary camp in Kantapahari on Monday (February 22), but the
Maoists claim the forces killed him near his house. Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu
Soren had on Wednesday (February 24) met Union Home Minister P Chidambaram
and
briefed him on the various measures taken by his government to tackle Naxals.
Neyaz Ahmed, Director General of Police, Jharkhand, also accompanied the Chief
Minister and took part in the discussions. Maoist rebels on Monday had offered
a conditional 72-day ceasefire through the media, and said that they are willing
to talk to the government if it aborts its anti-Maoist Operation 'Green Hunt'.
The government said that in the absence of an authentic statement, it was unable
to respond immediately, raising doubts about the truce and peace talks. Reacting
to this proposal by the ultras, Chidambaram said talks could be possible if the
rebels gave up violence, a demand the Maoists have so far refused.
The Maoist revolt started in 1967 as a peasant-based uprising in West Bengal's
Naxalbari town, but has now spread to large swathes of countryside in more than
20 out of 28 states.
