The firing took place in a forest area between the joint forces and Maoists. The common villagers had no business there. So it's quite understandable who those people were,' Verma said.

In June, the state government launched the massive security operation to flush out Maoist guerrillas from in and around Lalgarh, after the rebels made the area a virtual 'free zone' by torching police camps and offices of the ruling communists and drove out the civil administration.

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

Alleging police atrocities after the blast, the PCAPA, backed by Maoists, launched an agitation 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.