Lalgarh, Nov. 22: The government has refused to go to Kantapahari for talks with the People’s Committee against Police Atrocities, leaving the Lalgarh stalemate unresolved.

Kantapahari, in the heart of Lalgarh, is known to be a Maoist hotbed.

Additional district magis-trate R.A. Israel told Chhatradhar Mahato, a committee le-ader who called on him, that officials could go only till the Lalgarh police station.

“The administration wanted us to come to the police station. But that will not happen. If we can reconsider our demand of holding the talks at Dalilpur Chowk, where the movement had originated, they should also respect our feelings,” Chhatradhar said.

Sidhu Soren, the secretary of the committee, said: “They had refused to come to Dalilpur Chowk to meet the victims of police atrocities but wanted to meet us at any government office in West Midnapore district. We agreed and asked them to come to either the Kantapahari panchayat office or a local school.”

Israel rejected the idea. “It is not possible to go to the places suggested by the tribal leaders, though there are government buildings there.”

He added that talks were on “to find a meeting place acceptable to all”.

“We hope to find a solution in a day or two.”

Chhatradhar said if chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee came to Lalgarh, he would have to meet the tribal leaders at Dalilpur Chowk “because this is the place where the police showed their high-handedness that triggered this movement”.

He added that the tribals would not take responsibility for Bhattacharjee’s security. “It is the task of the police and administration. Why should we bother?”

The committee said the roadblocks in Lalgarh would continue in the absence of a “positive response” from the government.

“Yesterday, we had announced that the blockades would be withdrawn on Tuesday. (But) if they do not respond to our demand, we won’t allow them to enter our areas. We will allow people’s vehicles to ply, but not the administration’s,” Chhatradhar said.

‘Maoists’ held

Two suspected Maoists were arrested tonight from Murshidabad’s Kodalkuti village.

Tajuddin Sheikh, 35, and Achintya Das, 30, were part of a group of four who had gathered in a field behind the house of RSP leader Arman Mondal. The two others fled before the police arrived.