Acting on a tip-off, officials of the Jhargram police station detained the owner and an employee of an STD/fax booth, which was frequented by Maoists for sending faxes to various media houses.

According to police sources, cops have seized receipts of faxes that were sent to media houses across the state, especially based in and around Kolkata. The owner of the STD booth has been identified as Dilip Sinha. Police also detained Debu Bauria, another employee of the shop, for interrogation. Insiders revealed that the investigating officers were trying to extract information related to the appearance of Maoists, who used to frequent the booth for faxing press releases. The two other persons who were trying to send the fax have also been detained for interrogation. Police, however, are yet to divulge their identity.

A senior police official said the state government has sought 10 more companies of Central forces in addition to the existing 17 companies in the Jhargram-Lalgarh tribal areas. Manoj Verma, SP, West Midnapore said the matter will be looked into.

Locals in Barikul, meanwhile, have started a protest, demanding the body of the two victims of the police firing in Barikul on February 1 be handed over to their families. The victims have been identified by the locals as Arshamoni Murmu and Chandmoni Soren. The bodies were sent to the Bankura Medical College.