'We did not face any obstruction. But the administration and the ruling CPI-M (Communist Party of India-Marxist) goons stopped locals from meeting us,' Chattopadhyay said.

He alleged that the security forces were torturing innocent tribal villagers in the guise of searching for Maoists. 'People are being tortured. The area badly needs development. But the Left front government has not done anything during the 32 years it has been in power in the state,' he added.

Chattopadhyay said: 'This security operation must stop. The CPI-M is using it to capture political turf and commit atrocities on its political opponents.'

Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram had Monday asked the state's Left Front government to ensure security for the Trinamool team after party chief Mamata Banerjee spoke to him.

Roy and Adhikari had allegedly been obstructed by CPI-M activists last month when they were proceeding to two troubled areas in this belt.

The security operation was launched in and around Lalgarh last month after Maoists torched police camps and drove away the police and civil administration to establish what they claimed was a 'free zone' in the region since last November.

Lalgarh has been on the boil since November when a landmine exploded on the route of the convoy of Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and central ministers Ram Vilas Paswan and Jitin Prasada.

Complaining of police atrocities after the blast, angry tribals backed by Maoists launched an agitation, virtually cutting off the area from the rest of West Midnapore district.

Maoists are active in areas under 21 police stations in the state's three western districts - West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia.