It has also sanctioned Rs 10 lakh for arranging special coaching classes for the students of these schools, who had lost a considerable amount of their study time while their schools were occupied by the security forces.

The Calcutta High Court had ordered the security forces to vacate the schools by December 30. A total of 20 schools had been occupied by the forces since the launch of the anti-Naxal operations in June 17 this year.

“Four schools in Lalgarh, Kantapahari, Bhadupur and Satpathy are yet to be vacated. We will be able to vacate all these schools by December 30 as per the order of the High Court,” Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen said today.

He presided over a meeting to take stock of the situation at Lalgarh and adjoining areas.

The forces are now being put up mainly at various government offices.

The state government has arranged for the cleaning and repairing of furniture as it has been found that security forces had littered the schools extensively, throwing even liquor bottles all over the places. Obscene posters and pictures were also found pasted on the walls causing widespread resentment among the guardians of the students. At some schools the chairs and benches of the class rooms were used as fuel wood by the security forces.

CPM activist shot dead in Belpahari
Maoists allegedly gunned down a CPM activist at Belpahari and injured another supporter of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Wednesday morning.

Subal Mahato, a CPM cadre who had contested but lost the election to the gram panchayat in Belpahari, was shot dead by a group of Maoists at Chirakuti village at 9 am. Later, three kilometers from the spot, armed rebels again attacked the Kadamdiha village and shot at JMM supporter Suresh Chandra Murmu. He became unconscious after two bullets hit him on the head and chest. Suspecting him to be dead, the Maoists fled. Murmu, however, was still alive when locals rushed him to Jhargram sub-divisional hospital. He is in a critical condition.