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| Maoist alert issued during strike | Maoist alert issued during strike |
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| Five states in central and eastern India could be targets for attacks during a two-day strike called by Maoist rebels, authorities say. | Five states in central and eastern India could be targets for attacks during a two-day strike called by Maoist rebels, authorities say. |
| An interior ministry alert has been sent to West Bengal, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa. | An interior ministry alert has been sent to West Bengal, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa. |
| The strike began a day after 11 police died in a rebel attack in Chhattisgarh. | The strike began a day after 11 police died in a rebel attack in Chhattisgarh. |
| The rebels said the strike was a protest against a "war" on people in Lalgarh, West Bengal, where security forces have launched an offensive. | The rebels said the strike was a protest against a "war" on people in Lalgarh, West Bengal, where security forces have launched an offensive. |
| Lalgarh has been under the virtual control of the rebels since November. | Lalgarh has been under the virtual control of the rebels since November. |
| Two policemen have been wounded after a "mine-sweeping vehicle" carrying them was blown up by a landmine near Lalgarh early on Monday, the police said. | |
| Sixteen policemen died in landmine blasts triggered by the Maoists in the central state of Chattisgarh over the weekend. | Sixteen policemen died in landmine blasts triggered by the Maoists in the central state of Chattisgarh over the weekend. |
| The rebels have sought to hit out to demonstrate their strike power after federal interior minister P Chidambaram promised "co-ordinated and tough action" against them across the country. | The rebels have sought to hit out to demonstrate their strike power after federal interior minister P Chidambaram promised "co-ordinated and tough action" against them across the country. |
| Issuing a high alert for the five states, the interior ministry said India's federal Intelligence Bureau had "specific inputs" that Maoists were planning possible attacks. | Issuing a high alert for the five states, the interior ministry said India's federal Intelligence Bureau had "specific inputs" that Maoists were planning possible attacks. |
| "Security forces, as well as economic infrastructure like railways, buses and crowded markets, may be targeted by the Maoists to make their presence felt during the strike," the interior ministry advisory said. | "Security forces, as well as economic infrastructure like railways, buses and crowded markets, may be targeted by the Maoists to make their presence felt during the strike," the interior ministry advisory said. |
| 'People's power' | 'People's power' |
| Meanwhile, police and federal paramilitary troops are trying to consolidate their grip on Lalgarh, the jungle enclave in West Bengal state over which they re-established control over the weekend. | Meanwhile, police and federal paramilitary troops are trying to consolidate their grip on Lalgarh, the jungle enclave in West Bengal state over which they re-established control over the weekend. |
| Artists are trying to broker peace between rebels and the government | Artists are trying to broker peace between rebels and the government |
| Villagers in Lalgarh say their young men are being forced by police to hunt for explosives planted by the Maoists. | Villagers in Lalgarh say their young men are being forced by police to hunt for explosives planted by the Maoists. |
| "They are giving the village boys an S-shaped iron rod each, asking them to hook it to wires sticking out anywhere and pull it. This is dangerous because they will be too close to the explosives if the wires are linked to them," said Chattradhar Mahato, chairman of the Peoples Committee on Police Atrocities (PCPA), active in the Lalgarh area. | "They are giving the village boys an S-shaped iron rod each, asking them to hook it to wires sticking out anywhere and pull it. This is dangerous because they will be too close to the explosives if the wires are linked to them," said Chattradhar Mahato, chairman of the Peoples Committee on Police Atrocities (PCPA), active in the Lalgarh area. |
| Some of Bengal's leading artists, including film-maker Aparna Sen, visited Lalgarh on Sunday in a attempt to broker peace between the West Bengal government and the Maoists. | Some of Bengal's leading artists, including film-maker Aparna Sen, visited Lalgarh on Sunday in a attempt to broker peace between the West Bengal government and the Maoists. |
| But neither appeared to be in a mood to talk. | But neither appeared to be in a mood to talk. |
| "The Maoists have no specific demand, they are just out to create trouble. We have to continue the operations to deal with them," said Bengal's chief secretary Ashok Mohan Chakrabarty. | "The Maoists have no specific demand, they are just out to create trouble. We have to continue the operations to deal with them," said Bengal's chief secretary Ashok Mohan Chakrabarty. |
| Maoist leader Kishneji told the BBC: "We will show the government what is people's power. No police or army can crush that." | Maoist leader Kishneji told the BBC: "We will show the government what is people's power. No police or army can crush that." |
| Thousands of villagers have fled their homes in the Lalgarh region to avoid getting caught in the fighting, heading towards neighbouring areas of Bankura district. | Thousands of villagers have fled their homes in the Lalgarh region to avoid getting caught in the fighting, heading towards neighbouring areas of Bankura district. |
| The Bengal government started the offensive to retake Lalgarh, which had effectively been under Maoist control since November. | The Bengal government started the offensive to retake Lalgarh, which had effectively been under Maoist control since November. |
| The Maoists skilfully harnessed people's anger over police excesses following an Maoist attempt to kill chief minister Buddha Bhattacharya through a landmine blast, says the BBC's Subir Bhaumik in Calcutta. | The Maoists skilfully harnessed people's anger over police excesses following an Maoist attempt to kill chief minister Buddha Bhattacharya through a landmine blast, says the BBC's Subir Bhaumik in Calcutta. |
| Maoist-linked violence has killed 6,000 people in India over two decades. | Maoist-linked violence has killed 6,000 people in India over two decades. |