Intelligence alert for a possible Maoist attack in Bengal

Though there has been hardly any kind of subversive Maoist activity in the state, but the recent arrest of a Kolkata-based businessman Mahesh Agarwal by the National Investigation Agency.

Kolkata: The state intelligence department has sent an alert to all the districts, particularly to the Railways of a possible Maoist attack in several railway stations across the state on the Republic Day. The alert also says that there can be an attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress leaders, mobile towers and on police and central police camps.

Though there has been hardly any kind of subversive Maoist activity in the state, but the recent arrest of a Kolkata-based businessman Mahesh Agarwal by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) from Salt Lake allegedly for funding the Maoists of Jharkhand was enough to the put the state police on high alert of the possible Maoist activities going on in the state.

The NIA also said that they were looking for his two business partners who are still absconding. Before Agarwal, the NIA also arrested one Maoist leader Monoj Tiwari who was absconding for the last three years.

Sources in the state police said that the alert was initially issued by the central Intelligence Department and consequently the state police issued an alert to all the district police headquarters and the Railways simultaneously.

The alert says that there might be possible attacks at railway routes like Jhargram-Giridih, Kharagpur-Agra, Purulia-Biramudi, Purulia-Muri, Jhalda-Bokaro and Siridi-Andal.

The alert refers to the recent Maoist attack at West-Singhbhum in Jharkhand where two persons lost their lives. It said that the district police should immediately communicate this alert to all the police stations, particularly those police outposts and police stations that have a proximity with the railway tracks.

The state police administration has asked all the police stations to increase vigil along the railway tracks. The GRP and RPF have been asked to keep a close look on the trains and railways stations so that all these kinds of efforts can be neutralised. The police stations have also been asked to step up vigil along the railway tracks and report continuously to the higher authorities. The district police have been asked to coordinate with the state police authorities.

The state police intelligence beside taking information about the Maoist leadership has sent the alert to all the neighbouring states, including Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa.