Providence!

In late sixties and early seventies normally urban people and police fell prey to Naxalite bullets. It was primarily the urban youth, mostly educated, who spearheaded the movement. Now rural people and cops are the primary targets of the Maoists and area of operation is more or less rural based. The macabre story of storming the Sankrail P.S, killing of cops , lifting of O.C Atin Datta to make hostage and looting of the adjacent bank without any resistance worth the name has caught the administration unaware .Most pathetic is the mental state of Atin’s family who pleaded the Maoist leader to release him and waited upon the Chief minister to do something to get him back alive. Administration is also put on the spot. Any drastic action at this stage might harm the man kept as hostage and surrender to the Maoist’s demand of releasing their comrades is also a difficult proposition, particularly when Central govt’s has decided to intensify action against the Maoists. Under these circumstances nothing is left with Datta family except leaving Atin’s life to Providence.Interestingly,we’re yet to receive TMC Supremo’s reaction to such a ghastly incident. She ever played down Maoists’ threat in West Bengal and kept harping on withdrawal of joint forces at Lalgarh.