In a move apparently aimed at clipping of the wings of the Central Reserve Police Force deployed in Nandigram, the West Bengal government has asked the paramilitary force to shift their five camps from the present locations and to work under areas of responsibility assigned by the district police chief.
"We have been asked by the DGP, West Bengal, to shift our five camps from the present location. We have also been asked to work in the area of responsibility to be assigned by East Midnapore SP S S Panda," said CRPF's deputy inspector general Alok Raj.
After armed CPI-M cadres recaptured Nandigram from its rival Bhumo Uchched Pratirodh Committee backed by Trinamnool Congress, the CRPF set up camps in Nandigram, Gokulnagar and Rajaram Chowk, besides Khodambari-I and II.
As per the DGP's instructions, the Nandigram camp is to be shifted to Temgua, the Gokulnagar camp to Pankhai, the Rajaram Chowk camp to Jellingham, Khodambari-I camp to Teropeksha and Khodambari-II to Khejuri Mahila Vidyapith.
The CRPF women's company has been asked to shift from Nakuri to Chandipur, he said.
Till now, the CRPF, which had set up camps at the present locations at the instruction of the DGP, had been working independently as per the area of operation given to it by the administration, Raj said.
Asked why the forces were being shifted, Raj, who attended a meeting with the DGP at Nandigram police station, pleaded ignorance. "We had set up camps here on being asked
by the DGP to do so. I don't understand why we are being asked to shift now."
Raj said that the CRPF had asked the DGP to allow it to set up a camp at Takapur where locals were pleading for one but the request had been rejected.
"Our first duty now would be to shift the camps. We shall then work as per the area of responsibility to be given by the SP," he said.
Since their deployment at Nandigram, the CRPF had been able to bring back confidence among the local people.
On Friday, CRPF's additional director-general N R Das had said it would ensure normalcy in Nandigram.
After warning CPI-M's cadres riding on motorcycles and trying to dominate the area, the CRPF apprehended one of the bikers on Saturday as his vehicle did not have a number plate.
