By SUNIL Sonkar

Kolkata, Feb. 17 — Intelligence had given warning to the West Bengal government about the Maoists attack. WB government admitted on Wednesday that the information came that Maoists were “assembling” around Shilda (West Midnapor district) police camp area. On Monday their strike killed 24 troops of the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) in the state and it was the biggest offensive by Naxals ever in West Bengal.

The WB government admitted a day after an outraged Centre slammed the state government expressing dismay at the “unprofessional, incompetent, untrained and inadequate” response of the West Bengal police force to the attack.

An inquiry order has also been given by the WB government into the incident and it said that “action” would be taken against the senior officers if they were found wanting.

Ardhendu Sen, West Bengal Home secretary, told to the reporters, “It is not a clear case of intelligence failure. There was intelligence report that the Maoists were assembling in the area, though there was no specific information that they may attack the EFR camp.”

Sen also added that the report came to them only three hours before the attack and it took time for the information to percolate to the lower level.