The Union Home Ministry on Monday reviewed the situation in violence-torn Nandigram at a high-level meeting even as Central Reserve Police Force personnel staged a flag-march on the outskirts of the area. Senior officials of the Home Ministry dealing with internal security were constantly monitoring the situation in Nandigram against the backdrop of reports that CPI-M) cadres had laid a siege there.

The review meeting came in the backdrop of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's [Images] getting in touch with Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and monitoring the situation from Moscow [Images] where he is on a two-day visit.

Five companies (nearly 500 personnel) of CRPF have reached Nandigram and Director General of para-military force, S I S Ahmed, a West Bengal cadre IPS officer, was camping in Kolkata to monitor the deployment of the force. One company of CRPF today staged a flag march on the outskirts of Nandigram, the sources said.

Home Ministry sources said the state police refused to escort the CRPF personnel to Nandigram area claiming the local people were hostile to the West Bengal Police. An additional company of CRPF's Mahila battalion would be reaching the area on Tuesday.