Nandigram tense as body count rises

 

Cops fire eight rounds in the air to disperse a crowd that gathered to burn down a CPI(M) local committee office

 

KOLKATA: Nandigram in East Midnapore district continued to be on the boil for the second day as one more body was recovered on Monday.  It took the toll to seven.  According to many, several villagers are missing and they are feared to have fallen victim to clashes between CPI(M) workers and protesters against land acquisition.

 

An all-party meeting, convened by the district magistrate, ended in a logjam after Trinamool Congress local leaders walked out demanding the release of  one 'Khokon' who had been arrested for his role in the recent killings.

 

A huge contingent of police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) was deployed just outside Nandigram. But they are yet to play a role in restoring law and order fearing that direct police action can aggravate the situation. This even after  activists of the Krishijami Raksha Committee burnt down another local committee office of the CPI(M) early on Monday morning. The committee is a joint action forum of Trinamool Congress, SUCI and Naxalite elements.

 

Although senior police officials like IG (western range), Arun Gupta, DIG (Midnapore range), N R Babu and SP (East Midnapore), A K Dutta were present at the spot, there was no initiative to put the force in action. 

 

The police only fired eight rounds in the air early this morning to disperse the mob that gathered to burn down the CPI(M) local committee office at Dinabandhupur Lockgate village in Nandigram.

 

Meanwhile, a large number of outsiders are still assembled at Nandigram and many of them were seen provoking the locals to take law in their hands, sources in the police said.

 

The CPI(M) central committee member, Benoy Konar admitted on Monday that his party as well as the state government failed to anticipate in advance that the situation at Nandigram would become so critical.