Maoists on Saturday exploded a powerful landmine targeting CRPF personnel in West Midnapore district on the eve of Home Minister P Chidamabaram's visit to Lalgarh amid a bandh call by a Naxal-backed tribal group.
The blast occurred just as a vehicle carrying 12 CRPF personel to Lalgarh from Dharampur crossed the area at Chotobrindabonpur village, Superintendent of Police Manoj Verma told reporters.
Though earlier reports had said that a securityman was injured, Verma said that no one was hurt. He said that 80 meters of fuse wire leading to Maoist infested Belatikri village was seized.
The explosion led to a crater being formed on the Dharampur-Lalgarh main road. Security forces had stepped up vigil at Lalgarh and Midnapore town ahead of Chidamabaram's visit. The People's Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA) leader Asit Mahato, meanwhile, called for a 24-hour bandh tomorrow in West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia districts to protest the union home minister's visit. He also announced an indefinite blockade in the three districts from Monday in protest against the continuing anti-Maoist operations. PTI
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