Crackdown begins to reclaim Lalgarh
Police, CRPF storm past Maoist human wall
Kolkata, June 18
The West Bengal police and paramilitary forces today jointly launched a massive operation to flush out Red rebels from Lalgarh in West Midnapore district of the state. Firing teargas shells and wielding batons, the security personnel cracked down on human shields of Maoists, who were armed with lathis, axes, spears, bows and arrows.

Editorial: Lessons from Lalgarh
9 cops die in landmine blast

Securitymen head for a violence-hit area at Pirakota, near Lalgarh, on Thursday. — Reuters

A Tribune Investigation
Homes without care - I
Here, 6-yr-olds are treated like hardened criminals
Chandigarh, June 18
In gross violation of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000, the Department of Social Security has housed more than 200 juvenile delinquents in its observation homes (sudhaar ghar) in pathetic condition, with inmates witness to the apathy of the officers concerned.

Chinks in Coalition
Akali MLA ‘abuses’ Kalia; BJP boycotts Cabinet meeting
Chandigarh, June 18
The relationship between the SAD-BJP coalition partners in Punjab hit a new low with the latter boycotting a meeting of the state Cabinet today to protest against “abuses” hurled at Local Bodies Minister Manoranjan Kalia by SAD Adampur legislator Sarabjit Singh Makkar yesterday.

Nod to coal mining in degraded forests
New Delhi, June 18
Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh and Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal today joined hands to solve the country’s power problems. Ramesh announced his ministry’s decision to allow coal exploitation in degraded forest lands of the country.

Six-point agenda