Bangla Bandh evokes moderate response, 1 dead

Kolkata, Dec 1: At least one person was killed and seven others sustained injururies in separate incidents of violence in the Trinamool Congress sponsored 12-hour Bangla Bandh which has evoked partial response all over the state today.

State Inspector General of Police Law and Order Raj Kanojia told sources that 45 year old state government employee Pranay Das was killed on the spot and four other passengers sustained injuries when a group of Bandh supporters pelted stones on a government bus they were travelling at Serapore Crissing near Raigunj in North Dinajpur district at around 1200 noon.

Later the Trinamool Congress supporters also set fire to the bus damaging it seriouisly.But soon large number of state police personnel intervented and brought the situation under contral.Seven perotestors were also arrested in that connection.

In another incident,Mr Kanojia informed,the bandh supporters also damaged the famous Kolkata-Dhaka long distance bus near the bordering town of Bongoan in North 24 Parganas district by pelting stons. Two people had also been arrested in this connection.

He however,claimed that barring these incidents the overall situation in the state was by and large peaceful so far with more than 370 people had been arrested for causing disruption to normal life.

Referring to the arrest of a number of senior Trinamool Congress leaders while agitating in support of the bandh,Mr Kanojia said reports of some temporary disruption to traffic and forceful implementation of Bandh were also coming in from several areas both in and outside the city.

He said attendance in government offices in most parts of the state was reported near normal,the movement of traffic was also by and large as usual though the number of passengers were very few.Though the Metro rail services and the flights from the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International airport operated normally,Train services of both the Eastern and South Eastern Railway were disrupted to some extent in the morning by the Bandh supporters in various stations.

UNI