CNN-IBN has now learnt that at least 7000 armed Maoists have spread out across the West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura district in West Bengal along with East Singhbhum in Jharkhand. In Bengal, they are being assisted by 50 hard-core rebels from Manipur's insurgent group, People Liberation Army, who are training tribal villagers living inside these forests.
Just two months ago the Maoists acquired more weapons from illegal arms-suppliers in south-East Asia.
* The weapons were originally meant for the now-decimated LTTE.
* The arms were supplied by an elaborate network that is run in North-East India by the Naga insurgent group NSCN (IM).
* The arms were smuggled in through two routes: Burma and Bangladesh.
* The arms include 850 AK-47 rifles, 4000 small weapons and several hundred grenades.
* They also include cheaper Chinese copies of weapons such as the American M-16 rifles and Russian Kalashnikovs - AK-47s and AK-56s.
* Maoists are also trying to establish links with the ULFA.
* They want ULFA to supply arms from Yunan province of southern China through the insurgents in Myanmar.
Clearly, the Maoists are preparing for a new surge. This time their target is West Bengal and their increased alliances with north-east insurgent groups of India will make it more difficult for the security forces to fight the Red terror.