CRPF boss leaves Nandigram in a huff
By IANS
Nandigram (West Bengal) : The man sent by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to restore calm in Nandigram, Deputy Inspector General Alok Raj, has left the trouble-torn area, apparently frustrated by the state police's "partisan role".
Exasperated with the West Bengal police, Raj left Nandigram in a huff Thursday, said sources.
The officer's frustration came to the fore when police released Anup Mondal, a suspect in a criminal case, hours after he was nabbed by CRPF Wednesday, the sources said. Mondal is not only accused of terrorising returning refugees, he has at least six criminal charges against him, including two of attempt to murder.
"Certain things have not gone the way it was planned," Raj said, but refused further comment on why he was leaving Nandigram.
CRPF officials alleged that local police officials had been freeing people nabbed by them while trying to keep the central force out of trouble spots.
Raj, the CRPF's most senior officer in Nandigram, drove out around 11.30 a.m. saying he was going to a meeting in Tamluk but headed for Kolkata, around 150 km away.
CRPF Inspector General Subhas Goswami, based in Kolkata, later said Raj had gone on leave for two days and commandant R.K. Sharma would be in charge.
Raj's colleagues said till Wednesday, he had given no hint he was going on leave.
CRPF sources said the force had informed its top brass about the "partisan role" of the state police.
The central paramilitary force also sent a report to New Delhi Thursday explaining why it was proving impossible to instil confidence among the villagers. A copy was also forwarded to state police chief A.B. Vohra.
"We wanted to set up a camp at Takapura but the police have turned down the proposal. Now, the police have set up a camp near Takapura. Why weren't we allowed to go there?" a senior CRPF officer asked.
Takapura is the gateway to several villages where intimidation may be going on.
"We haven't yet been handed a list of the criminals wanted by the police. There is no intelligence sharing at all," the officer said.
The CRPF troops entered Nandigram Nov 12 after a request from the state government to the centre and set up five camps at five different locations - Nandigram College, Gokulnagar, Rajaramchak School, Khudambari-I and II Nov 14. Women CRPF troops also set up camps at Nakuria.
Violence in Nandigram has claimed 34 lives since January this year, when the region flared up over proposed land acquisition for a special economic zone (SEZ). The state government scrapped the plan later in the face of stiff resistance.
Since then a turf battle between the CPI-M and the BUPC -- backed by Trinamool Congress -- has continued, with heavily armed CPI-M supporters the aggressor and apparent victor in the latest round.