WEST BENGAL: POLICE WIN FIRST ROUND AGAINST MAOISTS

UNCLAS KOLKATA 000167

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/INS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PGOV CASC IN
SUBJECT: WEST BENGAL: POLICE WIN FIRST ROUND AGAINST MAOISTS

REF: KOLKATA 162

(SBU) Summary: Indian Central Reserve Police Forces (CRPF),
along with Government of West Bengal (GOWB) police have
reportedly taken control of the town of Lalgarh without strong
resistance from the Communist Party of India - Maoist
(hereinafter referred to as Maoists, otherwise known as
Naxalites) (see Reftel). Except for Lalgarh and surrounding
areas, most people have ignored the Maoists' call for a two-day
strike in the East Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and
West Bengal. Security forces suspect that small pockets of
Maoist fighters remain in the area and they are expecting to
launch attacks against these fighters within the next few days.
End Summary.

Police Take Control of Lalgarh


2. (SBU) Media contacts in Lalgarh, a town in the West Midnapur
district of West Bengal where CRPF and GOWB police have been
conducting anti-Maoist operations for the past week, report that
police now control the town. These contacts confirmed that on
June 21, security forces re-entered the Lalgarh police station,
which has been controlled by the People's Committee Against
Police Atrocities (PCAPA) since November 2008. PCAPA is widely
rumored to be cooperating with the Maoists. Contacts told Pol
FSN that police have also converted village schools and public
buildings into police camps in two neighboring towns, Goaltore
and Ramgarh. West Bengal's Inspector General of Police (Law &
Order) Raj Kanojia confirmed that police are now in control of
Lalgarh.

Maoist Strike is a Bust Except in West Midnapur


3. (SBU) It appears that a two-day strike called by the Maoists
on June 22 and 23 in Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal
has had little impact outside of the West Midnapur district of
West Bengal. RSO contacts report all major cities in the region
are functioning normally, including West Bengal's capital
Kolkata. Contacts in Lalgarh and surrounding villages report
that shops, schools and offices have been closed on both days
and very few people have come out of their homes.

Police Actions to Continue


4. (SBU) P.S. Mukherjee (protect),a West Bengal Police
intelligence official in West Midnapur district, told Pol FSN
that Maoist action squads in Lalgarh do not have sophisticated
fire arms, barring a few assault rifles. The Maoists either
seize rifles from the police or buy locally made crude, single
shotguns. According to Mukherjee, Maoists are making their own
Improvised Explosive Devises (IEDs) from easily available
ingredients such as ammonia-based fertilizers mixed with jaggery
(a crude sugar). They steal detonators from mining companies in
the region. Mukherjee confirmed that the Maoists are not
receiving any support from outside of India.


5. (SBU) Kanojia told Pol FSN that the police have completed the
first in a four-phase strategy to counter the Maoists in West
Bengal. In the first phase, the police reestablished control
over Lalgarh and its surrounding villages. In the second phase,
the police plan to confront pockets of Maoists who remain in
villages and forested areas in West Midnapur. Kanojia said that
up to 8,000 police are being deployed for what he described as
counterinsurgency operations. Kanojia reported that the third
phase will concentrate on development measures to address the
local population's grievances, with the final phase
concentrating on surrender of individual Maoist fighters.

PAYNE