Nandigram still on the boil, three injured in clashes : India World

Kolkata, Oct 24 - At least three villagers were injured in fresh clashes between Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) supporters and the anti-land acquisition group, Bhumi Uchched Pratirodh Committee (BUPC), in West Bengal's Nandigram area, police said Wednesday.

The groups were involved in a violent clash that started Monday night at Takapura and Satangabari areas, near Nandigram and adjoining Khejuri border, in the trouble-torn region of East Midnapore district, about 150 km from here.

According to reports, members of BUPC -- which is spearheaded by opposition parties like Trinamool Congress -- allegedly first ransacked and set ablaze a CPI-M party office, a Panchayat office and a village library in Nandigram. They also dug up roads so that the police could not enter Nandigram.

'There were a few stray incidents of bombs being hurled and firing in Nandigram since Monday night. The groups fought with each other from a distance and it was a localised rivalry. We are keeping a close eye on the entire situation,' West Bengal Inspector General (Law and Order) Raj Kanojia told IANS.

He said five police camps had already been relocated, since they were not being utilised properly. 'We have placed those camps at proper places to get hold of the situation.

'We already held a couple of meetings with both the parties. We held a meeting even on Tuesday in Nandigram to sort out the issue,' Kanojia said, adding that police were deployed there and the situation was under control.

West Bengal Home Secretary Prasad Ranjan Roy Tuesday said at state secretariat Writers' Building that more meetings would take place in Nandigram to restore complete normalcy in the area.

At least 23 people have died in Nandigram since January this year when the region erupted in protest over proposed land acquisition for a special economic zone (SEZ) in collaboration with Indonesia's Salim group.

On March 14, 14 people were killed and over 100 injured in police firing while protesting against the land acquisition in Nandigram.

A chemical hub planned there was finally scrapped by the state government in the face of violent protests but the region continues to be tense with the rival groups keeping the issue alive in the run-up to the Panchayat elections next year.