CPM activists 'fire' at BUPC supporters, 10 injured

Nandigram, May 5: Armed CPI(M) activists allegedly fired at Bhoomi Uchched Pratirodh Committee (BUPC) supporters and injured at least ten of them at Sonachura, Gokulnagar and Raynagar villages under East Midnapore district today.

The attacks came barely six days before the first phase Panchayat election beginning May 11.

Official sources said the injured were rushed to the Nandigram hospital where the condition of two of them was stated to be critical.

Haldia SDO Sankar Haldar and SDPO Gourav Sharma rushed to the spot with a large police contingent.

Meanwhile, the Nandigram Block Development Office sent an SOS message to East Midnapore Superintendent of Police S S Panda to despatch more police contingents to the area.

''Due to some administrative lacunae in Nandigram, close co-ordination between the police and CRPF is being hampered,'' Mr Panda said.

However, he claimed that the situation was under control.

Meanwhile, the BUPC supporters alleged that three armed teams of CPI(M) activists, each comprising about 70 to 80 cadres, had driven out around 500 BUPC supporters from Sonachura, Gokulnagar and Roynagar villages.

About 60 people have been injured in pre-poll violence in East and West Midnapore districts so far.

Mr Panda said yesterday there had been stray incidents of violence and clashes between CPI(M) on one side and AITC, Congress and Jharkhand Party(JP) on the other.

Hundreds of people, who were returning home to Nandigram after the year-long absence following the March 14 carnage here last year, were seen fleeing from their villages once again.

''People are apprehensive of fresh violence in the wake of clashes between the CPI(M) and BUPC at Janbazar, Tekhali, Garchakraberiya, Sonachura, Bhangaberiya, Southkhali and Gangra,'' the SP had said.

UNI