Members of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), which is celebrating the anniversary of its military wing, surrounded the house of Amiya Sengupta around 11 pm yesterday when he was away to Bankura. Sengupta’s wife was present there along with her four daughters and a three-month-old when the house was set on fire. The Maoists were backed by activists of Sidhu-Kanhu Gana Militia, the armed wing of People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA).

“We will never forget the night of fear and trauma. Our house was surrounded by 6000-odd armed tribals. They were chanting pro-Maoist slogans. They ransacked our house and set it ablaze. I, along with my four daughters and three-month-old granddaughter ran to the roof of our three-storied residence. We frantically tried to keep ourselves out of the range of the fire. There was not a drop of water to feed our baby,” said Nilima.

“We are suffering from a tremendous sense of insecurity. All the villagers started fleeing away from the village. After the incident, we will not return to the place,” said Amiya.

The security forces had started closing in on the spot yesterday night after being informed about the incident but the route to Dahijuri was blocked with trees. A senior officer of the joint forces said his men could not proceed as several mines were planted on the way.

Around midnight, when the IC of Binpur, Kushal Mitro, started moving towards Dahijuri with his force, a mine blasted on his vehicle at Rathbera, around five km away from Dahijuri, leaving him and four other policemen seriously injured.

Meanwhile, another team closing in from Jhargram had to retreat after several mines were detected on the road.

“Our forces reached the spot in the morning.

We have rescued the family from the house and removed them from that place,” said Murlidhar, ASP, West Midnapore.