Trinamool men held for Maoist link, scribes hurt in baton charge

The arrested inmates of the relief camp, located in the guest house 'Rajiv Gandhi Puro Nilay', were identified as Asim Mahato and Amiya Mahato who allegedly had a hand in the Maoist attack on a camp of the Eastern Frontier Rifles at Silda, near here, on February 15, 2010 in which 24 jawans were killed.

Alleging arbitrary action of the joint forces, Trinamool Congress activists blocked the station road in the town, stalling traffic movement for hours.

They claimed that the two were not at all connected to Maoists and that the joint forces personnel ransacked the camp and assaulted women inmates during the raid.

Police said five journalists, including one belonging to a Bengali TV channel, were injured in the melee while Trinamool Congress protesters put up a road blockade on the station road.
Perturbed at the report of the scribes being injured in the police action, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee expressed regret and ordered an inquiry.

In a statement in Kolkata, Bhattacharjee said that the police faced obstacles while they had gone to arrest two accused Maoists at a municipality-run guest house, where the Trinamool relief camp was set up, and then resorted to baton charge."To control the situation, the police used batons and some journalists were injured as I have come to know. It is regrettable that journalists were injured and I have asked the police to probe the incident," he said.He said appropriate action will follow the inquiry report, adding his government will arrange for treatment of the injured journalists.