“We already have a specialised force trained by the Army, which is camped in Lalgarh,” said IG (Law & Order) Raj Kanojia. “Now we are training them to operate in tough terrain.”

The Straco, comprising men selected from the police force, are trained by the Army through its Junior Leaders’ Training Establishment set up in 2005. The number of companies — 14 now — is likely to be increased.

“The Union government wants this force to be developed on the lines of Greyhounds in Andhra Pradesh,” said a top officer of the Bengal Police. “Straco is similar to Greyhounds but we need to upgrade it by providing specialised equipment and better training. The matter was discussed at a meeting in Delhi recently where the director general of police was present,” he added.

Meanwhile, the tribals reached the West Midnapore district headquarters on Monday and dug up a road in Midnapore town, which leads to Jhargram. As a result, the area remained cut off for the 17th day.

The police and administration are in a fix over resolving the Lalgarh issue. According to police sources, the movement is being led by an active Maoist leader, Sasadhar Mahato, the prime suspect in the Chief Minister’s convoy blast case. However, no action can be taken against him because of the mass agitation. The police are not in a position to even enter tribal areas, and they cannot accept the demand that charges against Mahato be dropped. The police have also refused to hold meeting with the Maoist-backed agitators in a remote village in Lalgarh, which sparked the agitation after the police raided in on November 4.

In another development, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has sought a report on the Lalgarh situation from the West Bengal Pradesh Youth Congress Committee. A Youth Congress team visited Lalgarh today and prepared a report to be forwarded to state Youth Congress president Amitava Chakraborty.