Ranchi, Oct. 24: Maoist rebels, encouraged by the merger of PW and MCC, have gone on a drive to flex their muscles and assert their supremacy in the backwaters of the state. After triggering a series of blasts over the last fortnight, the Communist Party of India (Maoist) has now chosen one of the prestigious institutions of the state ? Netarhat Residential School ? as the subject of attention. The rebels, through pamphlets, have asked the authorities to call off the golden jubilee celebrations of the school, scheduled for November 14 to 16.

The rebels also want the immediate withdrawal of paramilitary forces that have been deployed in view of the school function. The Naxalites warned that if their demands were not met, they would resort to violence.

This came even as President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who was supposed to attend the celebrations, called off his visit to the school. The cancellation was apparently due to the agitation course chalked out by activists of the ?Pilot Project Netarhat Field Firing Range Visthapan Virodhi Manch?, which is opposing the firing range in Netarhat.

The Maoists have alleged that the Latehar police and the paramilitary forces were harassing local villagers and those opposed to the field firing project.

The rebels? threat has got the authorities worried because the school will be playing host to a galaxy of dignitaries attending the function.

Latehar police superintendent M.S. Bhatia said the rebel have hijacked the agitation against the firing range. Early this month, a bid by the villagers to storm the district headquarters in protest against poor drought measures and official apathy was foiled. Two activists leading the agitation, Babloo Kumar Singh and Zia-ul-Haque, were branded extremists and arrested.