Terming the Maoists attack on a police camp in West Bengal as outrageous, Home Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday accepted there were indications of "failure" in some aspects which only a detailed review would reveal.
"While there are indications of failure in some aspects, only a thorough review will reveal how the police camp with adequate strength was overrun, when there was day light, by the CPI (Maoist)," he said in a statement in Delhi.
The Home Minister, who spoke to West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, said the attack is "another outrageous attempt by the banned organization to overawe the established authority in the State."
"I condemn the attack. There has been a massive loss of lives. Besides, more than 40 weapons are reported to have been looted. The leader of the CPI (Maoist) has claimed responsibility for the attack and has threatened to repeat such attacks in the future.
"Every attack of this kind exposes the true nature and character of the CPI(Maoist). Their goal is to seize power. Their weapon is violence. No organization or group in a democratic republic has the right to take to violence to overpower the established legal authority," he said, criticizing a number of "well meaning organizations" that find "legitimacy" in the armed struggle by CPI (Maoists).
Chidambaram said "unfortunately" this simple truth has escaped a number of well-meaning organizations that find "legitimacy" in the armed liberation struggle carried on by the CPI (Maoist).
"I know that the overwhelming majority in this country will condemn the mindless violence unleashed by the CPI (Maoist) and will support the careful, controlled and calibrated efforts being taken by the Central and State Governments to put an end to the violence.
"However, I would like to hear the voices of condemnation of those who have, erroneously, extended intellectual and material support to the CPI (Maoist)," he said.
The Home Minister said, "It is only if the whole country rejects the preposterous theses of the CPI (Maoist) and condemns the so-called 'armed liberation struggle' that we can put an end to the menace of Naxalism and bring development and progress to the people in the conflict zones."
He pointed out that during the 3-day bandh called by the CPI (Maoist) from February 7, their main target was railway property. There were a total of 11 incidents -- three in Bihar, six in Jharkhand and two in Orissa, he said. The Home Minister said tracks were blown up, railway stations attacked, bombs placed on railway property and railway officials assaulted.
Meanwhile, a report from Kolkata said, three Maoists and a civilian were among those killed when the ultras attacked the Eastern Frontier Rifle (EFR) camp in West Midnapore district leaving 24 jawans dead, police said.
"Three Maoists were killed during retaliation by the jawans after the attack," DGP Bhupinder Singh told PTI. An unidentified civilian was also killed in the attack. Twenty-four EFR jawans were killed yesterday when the ultras overran their camp at Silda in West Midnapore after setting it on fire.
There were 51 EFR jawans and officers in the camp when the attack took place, police said, adding that many of them are still missing.
All the bodies were recovered this morning, police said, adding they have been sent to Midnapore Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem. However, police has not yet recovered bodies of the Maoists killed in the attack.
Joint forces jawans have sanitized the entire 30 km stretch of road where mines were planted by the Maoists to prevent police from entering the spot.
After the attack, the Maoists had celebrated the victory in the nearby Vadua forest by firing in the air. The ultras had also attacked a CRPF camp at Dharampur in the district. However, details were not available. Maoist leader Kishenji has claimed responsibility for the attack.
"We have attacked the camp and this is our answer to Home Minister P Chidambaram's 'Operation Green Hunt' and unless the Centre stops this inhuman military operation, we are going to answer this way only," Kishenji told PTI from an undisclosed location.
Admitting that there was "certain lapse of security", the DGP said the attack was the biggest in recent years in West Bengal. "This is also in reaction to our proposed joint efforts with Jharkhand to track Maoists who have taken shelter in these areas," he said.
Singh termed the attack as a setback, but said it would not change the government's resolve in tackling the menace. "We have to review our strategy because there are certain new things that we have seen in this attack," he said.
The police chief said the camp would be shifted from the present location. "We will find another proper location for the camp which also provides us better defence capabilities and also will be in a position to retaliate if it is attacked," he said.
To a question whether more such attacks were possible, Singh said, "They will definitely try to attack us. We will also attack them." PTI
