Forces to stay in Lalgarh till situation stabilises: Buddhadeb

Admitting a setback to the operation against Maoists by joint forces in Lalgarh, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today said Central security forces and police would stay in the restive area till the situation stabilises.

Admitting a setback to the operation against Maoists by joint forces in Lalgarh, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Tuesday said Central security forces and police would stay in the restive area till the situation stabilises.

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He said the forces suffered a setback after Maoists resumed their wanton killings but hoped it would be set right in the next phase of operation which would be tactically different.

"We are not claiming full success for the anti-Maoist operation, though there was success in the initial phases," Bhattacharjee told reporters here.

He said simultaneously with the operation, development initiatives would also be taken up in the Lalgarh tribal belt. Infrastructure projects like electrification, road building, health service improvement and drinking water provisions would be taken up.

"I have given instructions to the departments concerned of the district administration in this regard," he said.

Condemning the Maoists for killing innocent people, Bhattacharjee said, though somewhat sarcastically, "Revolution does not come through killing of innocent people."