Homeless CPI(M) leaders  returning to West Midnapore

 Kolkata, Sept 3 (PTI): Nearly 14 months after they fled from their homes in Maoist-hit West Midnapore district, CPI(M) leaders and supporters are venturing back, with the police attributing it to the improvement in the situation. "I cannot say that the situation is absolutely normal, but it is true that it has improved and will improve further. The elimination of Maoist and PCPA leaders like Sidhu Soren and Umakanta Mahato have created panic among the ultras," West Midnapore Superintendent of Police, Manoj Kumar Verma told PTI.Soren, chief of the Sidhu-Kanhu Jana Militia, the armed wing of the Maoist-backed People Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA), was among six ultras killed during a raid by CRPF and joint forces in Golatore area of the district on July 25, which was termed as a huge success.  Similarly, Umakanta Mahato, the prime suspect in the Jnaneswari Express mishap case of May 28 in which 148 passengers died and for whom a reward of Rs one lakh had been announced by the CBI, was killed in an encounter with joint forces in the Mohanpur forest near Lodhashuli on August 27."With constant raids the situation has improved in areas like Goaltore, Kotwali, Salboni, Dherua, Ranjha and partly in Dharampur areas," Verma said.He, however, conceded that top rung Maoists like Kishenji, Akash, Bikash, Tara and Suchitra had managed to elude capture"These people have sophisticated arms and can create a problem at any point of time, so we are not saying that there is absolute normalcy, but the situation has considerably improved," the SP said. Among those who are back home at Dharampur in Lalgarh area are CPI(M) Zonal Committee Secretary Anuj Pandey, whose house was burnt down by Maoists and a day later the party office. "From 13 June, 2009 we had to stay away, but our people wanted that we should return," he said.  He said that the people had understood that the main reason for their fear and suffering was the Maoists. "But they dared to raise their voices against the atrocities by Maoists and we have been able to come back." His brother, Dalim said that a rally was held at Dharampur and the CPI(M) office was reopened. "Many of our supporters who also had to flee, were able to return home.       "Development work in the area stopped altogether because of the Maoists. We will have to work hand in hand to begin it afresh," he said. Speaking about the situation in Lalgarh, CPI(M) district committee member, Dhareshwar Sen said, "The Maoists created a liberated zone and there was a complete lawlessness in the entire district, which cannot continue."   He said that after the joint forces launched anti-Maoist operations from June 19 last year, the people who had become homeless and had nowhere to go began to come back. "This is not the end, but just the beginning. A lot still has to be done."  PCPA Secretary Manoj Mahato, however, claimed that the areas had been recaptured by the CPI(M) with the help of armed cadre. "The CPI(M) cadre have AK-47s, SLRs and INSAS rifles which is being supplied by the Left Front government, but the common people are not with them," Mahato alleged."We don't believe in bloodshed and we will continue our movement in a peaceful way. We will win this battle because the people are with us," he said.

Operations intensified for  rescuing hostages, body found

Patna, Sep 3 (PTI) Security forces today intensified operations to rescue the three policemen kidnapped by the Maoists even as a body was found in a jungle, which police said was not that of sub-inspector Abhay Yadav, whom the Naxals had claimed to have executed.The deadline set by the Maoists for killing the other three hostages will expire at 10 am. "Combined force of Cobra Battalion of CRPF, BMP, STF and SAP of Bihar police intensified anti-Maoists operations for rescuing the policemen kidnapped by the Maoists during Sunday's encounter in Lakhisarai district," Inspector General (Operations), K S Dwivedi, overseeing the anti-Naxal operations, told PTI. BSF helicopters carrying Cobra battalion personnel hovered over the hills in hunt for the Naxalites for ensuring safe release of the hostages, Dwivedi said.  Intense search operations continued in the hilly and forest areas in Dharhara, Kajra and several other places in Bihar's Munger, Jamui and Lakhisarai districts, he said. Dwivedi said the police have not yet found the body of Abhay Yadav. Maoists claimed to have thrown his body in the forests under Kajra police station in Lakhisarai district.When contacted, ADG (Headquarters) P K Thakur said they had received information about a body lying in Simra Tari Kodasi forest under Kajra police station "but it was found later that it was not that of Abhay Yadav".  But a leaflet was pasted on the body threatening that the other hostages would meet a similar fate.Meanwhile, Avinash, self-proclaimed spokesman of the Maoists, telephoned media offices here, reiterating his claim of killing Abhay Yadav, the Manikpur Station House Officer, and renewed his readiness for holding talks with the state government for freeing the hostages in exchange for eight of the ultras lodged in different jails in Bihar. "We know harming anybody is inhuman, but we are left with no options than taking the extreme step... If the government is really interested in talks, it should halt the strike and pave way for initiating talks," Avinash said. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had yesterday offered talks with Maoists. The arrested Maoists were being looked after by the state government properly, he said, adding "We expect a similar treatment with the policemen". "The Maoists claim that they have killed one of the hostages, though we are yet to get any evidence of it. But as they have set a deadline of 10:00 am tomorrow, what is the guarantee that they will release the remaining three?" ADG (Hqs) P K Thakur had said after a meeting at the chief minister's official bungalow yesterday.The Maoists had warned the remaining three hostages would be killed if the state government did not accept their demand.  The rebels had kidnapped sub-inspectors Rupesh Kumar and Abhay Prasad Yadav, BMP havildar Ehtesham Khan and BMP ASI Lucas Tete after the encounter in Kajra police station area on Sunday, which had left eight policemen dead.

Curfew lifted from Anantnag, life returns to normal in Valley

       Srinagar, Sept 3 (PTI): Curfew was today lifted from Anantnag after four days even as life returned to normal in the Kashmir Valley after hardline Hurriyat Conference suspended protests for the day, the last Friday of Ramzan.  "Curfew was lifted from Anantnag town this morning as the law and order situation improved and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the area over the past three days," a senior police officer said.  Curfew was imposed in the town on August 30 after a youth was allegedly killed in firing by security forces. However, curfew was imposed in Kunzar area along the Srinagar-Gulmarg road, 35 kms from here, following protests, official sources said. They said the residents were protesting against the alleged police inaction in the case relating to the murder of 17-year-old Sameera last month.Elsewhere, in the Valley, life returned to normal after Syed Ali Shah Geelani-led Hurriyat suspended the agitation programme in view of the last Friday of the holy fasting month of Ramzan. Shops and other commercial establishments opened early in the morning as people flocked markets to make preparations for Id. The unusually high rush in the markets was due to the agitation calendar issued by Geelani yesterday which exempted September 5 and nine from strikes before Id.  However, schools and government offices remained closed today after the state government announced a public holiday. All modes of public transport could be seen plying on the roads with many intersections in the city witnessing massive traffic jams. Serpentine queues were seen outside banks and ATMs.  The Valley has been rocked by violence following the death of a teenager on June 11 after he was allegedly hit by a tear smoke shell near Rajouri Kadal area of the old city. Street protests broke out in the Valley which has claimed 65 lives so far.

PM says he would look into Navi Mumbai airport issue

New Delhi, Sept 3 (PTI) After pleas for an early clearance to the long-pending Navi Mumbai airport project, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said he would personally look into the issue to resolve the matter at the earliest. The assurance was given by the Prime Minister to a Maharashtra Congress delegation led by Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and comprising a number of senior leaders including Revenue Minister Narayan Rane."I will personally look into matter. Mumbai is of paramount importance to the country. I appreciate that a new airport is a necessity. Nothing will come in the way of Mumbai's development", Singh told the delegation, according to Chavan.  The Chief Minister told reporters that the delegation impressed upon the Prime Minister that expeditious development of another airport for Mumbai was the need of the hour as restructuring and maximum expansion of the present airport would not be enough. Chavan said that the Mumbai airport currently handles 26 million passengers annually and the traffic flow was set to increase to 45 million passengers by 2014-15 and 119 million by 2031-32. Sidestepping questions whether the approach of Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh was posing as a problem for Maharashtra, he said that he has had three meetings with the Minister and the state was ready to do whatever needed to protect environment while going ahead with the project. Chavan and Rane dismissed Shiv Sena's allegation that the Congress was pressing for the Navi Mumbai airport as some party leaders have taken land adjacent to the proposed project. "There is no private land nearby the project", said the Chief Minister.  PCC President ManikraoThakre, state Environment Minister Patangrao Kadam, Mumbai unit chief Kripa Shankar Singh and Maharashtra Congress spokesman Kanhaiyalal Gidwani were part of the delegation.