Kolkata, March 06: West Bengal Home Secretary P R Roy asked the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to remain at Nandigram until the West Bengal Panchayat elections which are scheduled to be held in May.

The CRPF personnel were deployed at Nandigram initially for three months on November 12, 2007.

Of the five companies (about 500 personnel) sent by the Centre, three remain besides a company of the Indian Reserve Battalion.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had visited Nandigram on Tuesday to distribute title deeds to the landless and had appealed to his own party, the CPI (M), and the Trinamool Congress to maintain peace to take up development work stalled for a year because of violence.

Chief Secretary A K Deb and the Home Secretary P. R. Roy met Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi and briefed him about the situation in Nandigram. .

Roy told reporters that the situation was under control but preventive arrests at the trouble spot in East Midnapore district would be made till the Panchayat elections are over.

An official notification is expected to be issued on Monday. (ANI)