Kolkata(IANS) : One Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) trooper was injured Tuesday during fresh violence between Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and Trinamool Congress-supported Bhumi Uchched Pratirodh Committee (BUPC) activists in West Bengal’s Nandigram.
“Pradip Tamang, an EFR jawan, suffered a bullet injury when he was on duty at Tekhali bridge. He was first taken to Nandigram Hospital and later referred to Tamluk Hospital,” an official of the Nandigram police station told IANS.
Tekhali bridge connects Nandigram and Khejuri, two violence-torn regions in East Midnapore district.
While Nandigram is virtually ruled by the BUPC, Khejuri is dominated by the CPI-M and is home to about 1,500 party supporters who had to flee Nandigram after violence erupted in January when the government planned to acquire land for a special economic zone (SEZ), a proposal which was later scrapped in the face of violent opposition from villagers.
A landmine also exploded at Bhangabera in Nandigram Tuesday. While a TV report said one CPI-M worker was killed in the blast, police are yet to confirm the death.
According to TV reports, there were more injuries Tuesday in the gun battle and explosion. Reports said two villagers – Kalipada Sit and Manasi Das – received serious bullet injuries and were taken to Nandigram Hospital.
“One EFR jawan was injured in the cross-firing. We have not received any report of more injuries or deaths though the situation is quite tense,” West Bengal Inspector General (Law and Order) Raj Kanojia told IANS.
Two houses were set ablaze at Satengabari Tuesday morning, reports said.
At least five people, including four members of the CPI-M, have been killed in renewed clashes and an explosion in Nandigram in the past two weeks.
With the fresh deaths, the toll touched 28 while hundreds have been injured and several women brutalised in Nandigram since January this year when the region flared up over the proposed SEZ, which the government was planning to set up in collaboration with Indonesia’s Salim Group.
On March 14, at least 14 villagers were killed in police firing when they resisted entry of cops in the region.
Though the proposed SEZ was scrapped by the West Bengal government after a flare-up, violence is continuing unabated as a turf war between the CPI-M and the BUPC is raging again in the run up to the Panchayat elections next year.
West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya has appealed to opposition parties to find a political solution to the Nandigram violence, while seeking central forces for the area.