Central government bans CPI (Maoist); Joint forces wrest control of Ramgarh
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  • The central government banned the Communist Party of India (Maoist) on June 22, terming it a terrorist organisation. The government invoked Section 41 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against the outfit. The decision on the ban came two days after West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee met Union Home Minister P.
    Chidambaram in the backdrop of violent incidents in Lalgarh and the ongoing operation by the police and the security forces to reclaim the area. Many states, including Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, had earlier declared the CPI (Maoist) as an unlawful association. Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu had done so under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act1.

    Meanwhile, the central paramilitary forces and the West Bengal police on June 27 took control of the Maoist-dominated Ramgarh in West Bengal. The forces had recaptured Lalgarh a week ago. Soon after the operations began, the Maoists triggered an improvised explosive device at Mahultol village. Another IED was defused by the police. Heavy exchange of fire between the security forces and the Maoists were reported from the dense forests nearby2.

    Elsewhere, Maoists unleashed a fresh wave of violence in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh, while seven tribal youths, suspected to be their supporters, were gunned down by the police in the aftermath of the Thongpal landmine blast that killed 11 CRPF personnel on June 203.

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