Kolkata: The West Bengal Government today (Oct 18, 2004) ruled out a ban on People's War (PW) after last week's blasts by naxalites at Ramgarh in West Midnapore district killing six EFR jawans, saying that the situation was not alarming.

''Why do you ask such absurd questions? It is you people who raise such questions,'' Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee told reporters at the State secretariat when asked whether the Government was considering a ban on PW following the blasts at Lalgarh.

Home Secretary Amit Kiran Deb, when contacted, said that the Government was on alert about the activities of the PW although the present situation did not warrant a ban on the outfit. ''The situation is not alarming. But we are on alert.''

The six EFR jawans were killed on October 14 when PW cadre carried out four successive landmine blasts near the Ramgarh outpost in West Midnapore district.

According to the police, the incident occurred when the jawans were crossing a makeshift bridge during a joint patrol with the armed police. Five jawans died on the spot while another succumbed to his injuries in hospital.