PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, April 4: Police have sounded a red alert in the Kolhan region over outlawed rebel outfit, CPI-Maoist’s bandh on April 5, in protest against the recent arrest of senior Maoist and central committee member Kanchan Da.
The 24-hour bandh will come into effect from midnight. Apart from Jharkhand, the bandh will be effective in three other states – Bihar, West Bengal and Assam.
The police headquarters in Ranchi has also alerted all the SPs of various districts.
Special security arrangements will be made in Chaibasa ( West Singhbhum ), Seraikela, Latehar, Gumla and Lohardaga which are vulnerable from the Naxal point of view.
The bandh has been given by the Naxal outfit in protest against the arrest of Prashant Bose, a veteran leader.
Cops in Kolhan are working on a war footing for elaborate security arrangements to ward off any untoward incident during the bandh.
Night vigil has been increased on trains passing through Tatanagar and other stations of South Eastern Railway’s Chakradharpur railway division.
Railway sources said escorts on important trains have been increased to prevent any untoward incident.
The Chakradharpur division has also intensified vigil on important railway installations.
Inputs from the intelligence department suggest that the Maoist outfit might target railway tracks.
Notably, among the three districts in Kolhan, West Singhbhum is the most Naxal-infested district. Therefore, the police of that district have been asked to be extra vigilant.
Senior Maoist leader Kanchan Da was arrested from Assam last month.
