By IANS,
Kolkata : There were 126 instances of police firing in West Bengal between 2006 and 2008, while 129 political activists died in clashes during the same period, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said Thursday.
Replying to the discussion on the home department’s budget in the state assembly, Bhattacharjee said 80 workers and leaders of his party Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) died in political violence during the three years, while the number of casualties of main opposition Trinamool Congress and Congress was 12 and 15, respectively.
Twenty two activists and leaders of other political outfits also died in clashes in the 2006-2008 time frame.
While there were 35 incidents of police firing in 2006, the number shot up to 50 in 2007. There were 41 cases of police firing in 2008, he said.
The chief minister said families of 13 of the 14 persons who died in police firing March 14, 2007 in Nandigram in East Midnapore district have been given compensation.