In yet another embarrassment to the ruling Community Party of India-Marxist in the Netai massacre on February 21, the joint forces have arrested nine persons, all suspected supporters of the party. They have also seized a cache of arms and ammunition at a village in Salboni in West Midnapore district.
"Some more people were detained in connection with the seizure at Masina village," said West Midnapore's Additional Superintendent of Police (headquarters) Sukesh Kumar Jain. "We are still interrogating them, so we are not yet certain of their political affiliations," Jain said.
T B Rao, Inspector General, Centrral Reserve Police Force said the forces during a search operation on Tuesday were fired upon by the suspected CPI-M members. The forces retaliated, injuring two persons, and seized 15 guns, 61 bullets, two socket bombs and three landmines from them. "They have been handed over to the police for interrogation," Rao added.
According to a police source, CPI-M had been running a camp at Masina village, once dominated by the Maoists. The arrests came in the backdrop of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's claims that CPI-M's armed cadres had been trying for 'area domination' in troubled Lalgarh and adjacent areas in Maoist-infested West Midnapore district.
