Loud Rebel Music

The anti-parliamentary fervour of the Naxalites has made its seasonal comeback. In a major strike just a day before Union home minister L.K. Advani was to enter the tribal state of Jharkhand, rebels of the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) set off a series of landmine blasts in West Singhbhum district. A total of 26 policemen, including the district’s SP, Praveen Kumar, were killed in the ambush. One Naxalite was also killed in the ensuing gunbattle. Banned Naxalite groups have frequently called for a boycott of the election process in Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh. But, as CM Arjun Munda said, "They won’t succeed in their designs." He also dismissed fears of any effect on Advani’s yatra.