CPI-M, Trinamool clash in Nandigram

KOLKATA: Trouble has broken out in West Bengal's Nandigram area with clashes between the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and the main opposition Trinamool Congress.

"The two groups hurled bombs and fired at each other," said Nandigram police station officer-in-charge Debasish Chakraborty after the violence on Sunday night.

"There are no reports of any injury. We have not made any arrests. None of the arms have been seized," Chakraborty said.

Trouble broke out in the Garchakraberia, Southkhali and Takapura areas around 10 p.m. Both parties blamed each other for the violence.

"The Trinamool men are involved. After their victory in the recent rural body polls, they want to wipe us out," said CPI-M leader Ashok Guria.

Trinamool leader Swadesh Das Adhikari said heavily armed goons backed by the CPI-M attacked his party's supporters.

Nandigram, in East Midnapore district of West Bengal, caught international attention in January last year as various opposition parties led by the Trinamool Congress launched a violent protest alongside peasants to foil the state government's plans to set up a chemical hub by acquiring large tracts of agricultural land.

The Trinamool rode on the success of the movement to not only sweep the rural body polls in Nandigram, but also wrest control of the zilla parishad (district council). The zilla parishad forms the top level of the three-tier panchayat system in the state.