Nandigram once again into pool of violence

With the beginning of the countdown of the Panchayat elections in Nandigram in West Bengal's Midnapur district, Nandigram once again erupted into violence on Monday when supporters of the Trinamool Congress-led Bhumi Ucched Pratrirodh (Resistance against Land Eviction) Committee, BUPC and the CPI (M) clashed with each other.

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The whole incident soon transformed into a different turn with the news of the alleged stripping and molestation of a woman supporter of the BUPC spread into the boiling area, which further aggravated the situation.

The area on Tuesday still sailed into trouble when alleged supporters of the BUPC started digging up a road at different places to cut off the area.

Meanwhile, the CPI-M government in West Bengal had ordered a CID probe into the alleged stripping of three women workers of the BUPC in Nandigram.

Sources say that the three activists of the BUPC were allegedly beaten up by CPI-M workers as a result of the scattered clashes persisted between two groups in different places of the violent Nandigram. BUPC sources said that all the three victims had been admitted to the Nandigramb hospital.

To prevent further mishappening against the BUPC workers, the local administration has demolished three bamboo bridges allegedly being used by the Marxist supporters to launch assault against the BUPC workers. The bridge had been erected by the CPI-M supporter last year. The administration was of the view that the demolition of the three bamboo bridges would not create any trouble into movement as the concrete bridge connecting two sides already exited there.

The eye witness allegedly said the CPI (M) activists molested and stripped the BUPC woman who denied to take part in the former’s procession. They said that the woman was chased a long way by the CPI(M) cadres and stripped, paraded and demoralised in public.

After which the woman was offered sari by the police men to wear which she denied to wear in showing her protest followed by beating again. Later the woman was admitted to the hospital where doctors confirmed she had been assaulted.

The CPI-M, on its part, had denied the charges.

Situation has brought into control with the battalion of the CRPF posted in Nandigram. However, scattered violence still continues.

The Union I&B Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi demanded the panchayat elections schedules on May 11 to be postponed in the area comes under the jurisdiction of Nandigram thana owing to fresh violence incurred in the area.

Last year in 2007, Nandigram broke the headlines after a section of people opposed land acquisition to build Special Economic Zone (SEZ) for a chemical hub there. The protests commenced against land acquisition soon turned into political colour with the formation of the BUPC with the back support of the Trinamool Congress to oppose the ruling CPI (M).