After it was “liberated” following a massive security operation on June 21, the Lalgarh police station has registered its first, and only, case. And it’s against the group of Kolkata intellectuals, including noted filmmaker Aparna Sen, who visited the area that day.

Sen, noted theatre personality Saonli Mitra, poet Joy Goswami, actor Kaushik Sen, and others, who visited the interiors of Lalgarh and called for ceasefire and dialogue, have been booked for violation of Section 144 of the CrPC. The section deals with “unlawful assembly of five or more persons”.

The group, that had met People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities leader Chhatradhar Mahato (“wanted by the police”) and urged his group to shun violence as well as a temporary halt to hosilities by the government, has also been booked under Sections 188 and 143 of the IPC.

Apart from booking the intellectuals — a matter that came to light only on Wednesday — the police also sent a special report to the state Government saying such visits will only help the Maoists and further disturb the situation. The report by the local police also expressed the apprehension that some Maoist cadres may have entered or left Lalgarh along with the delegation.

Incidentally, the day after the visit by Sen and the others, security forces had initiated strict checks at all entry and exit points to Lalgarh and the other disturbed areas.

Coming to know about the police action only today, the group says it is surprised. According to Mitra, the police had stopped them at several checkpoints on their way to Lalgarh, taken down their names but allowed them to go, never telling them about any prohibitory orders being in force. “As an ordinary citizen how are we supposed to know in which part of the district Section 144 is in force? Even when we were coming out, our vehicles and our names were checked,” the theatre artiste said.

... contd.