One person was killed and eight others injured as fresh clashes erupted between members of the Trinamool Congress-backed Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee (BUPC) and CPI-M cadres in Nandigram on Sunday.
Bapan Patra, said to be a CPI-M supporter, sustained bullet injuries and died in the evening. Two other persons are stated to be in a serious condition.
BUPC members ransacked CPIM zonal committee office and police had to resort to lathi chrage to control the mob. The incident started around 11 am, when BUPC members took out a rally to celebrate the anti-CPIM Mahajot’s (grand alliance) victory in seven wards. The BUPC rally followed a CPIM rally earlier, also to cebrate Left Front’s win of Haldia Municipality.
The BUPC has called for a 12-hour bandh tomorrow in Nandigram.
“Both the parties took out rallies in Nandigram today morning. During the rallies, some problem took place and a clash erupted. Later, the mob tried to ransack a party office in Nandigram. We controlled the situation and some of our men received minor injuries. We are deploying our force in Nandigram and bordering areas to maintain peace,” Srinivasan, district police superintendent of East Midnapore, said.
According to police, the CPI-M first took out a victory rally in the morning celebrating the Haldia civic results. This was followed by a mammoth rally by BUPC members in the same Nandigram market. When the BUPC rally was near the bus stand, crude bombs were allegedly lobbed on the supporters. This sparked tension and BUPC supporters attacked CPI-M zonal committee office.
