CBI seizes huge arms and ammunition from Nandigram, arrest 10

Nandigram, Mar 17 (UNI) A day after commencing investigation into the Nandigram firing, CBI sleuths today made a major breakthough when they recovered huge cache of arms and ammuniton and arrested ten people from Gakulnagar-Adikari Para under Nandigram police station area today.

Official sources said the CBI team recovered ten rifles, as many revolvers and two other sophisticated firearms from a bricklin in the area.

They apprehended ten people in this connection, the sources said the CBI officials also recovered ten cartriges and some incriminating doucments from the area.

IG, Western range, Arun Gupta told UNI that a huge, cache of arms and ammunition was unearthed by the CBI team.

He, however, did not give the details of the seizure made by the CBI team.

It was, however, learnt that some 379 rounds of ammunition, ten country - made pistols, helmet, black uniforms, two binoculars and a map of Nandigram were also recovered from the area.

The CBI team today inspected Gokulnagar village under Nandigram police station as part of its inquiry into the police firing in which 14 people were killed on Wednesday.

The sleuths, including three from Delhi, were accompanied by forensic experts.

They dug up portions of the road following allegation by a section of villagers to ascertain whether bodies had been dumped.

The area is close to Sonachura village where most of the casualties took place.

The team later went to Tamluk Hospital and inquired with the injured persons, admitted post March 14 firing, about circumstances under which the incident took place.

The team, also comprising CBI regional officials, had visited Sonachura yesterday and collected spent cartridges and marked the blood - stained spots. They had also visited Khejuri, Bhangabera and Adhikaripara.

They also spoke to the wounded villagers and collected bits of information from them on the entire incident.

The CBI had started the investigation following an order by the Calcutta High Court after the PIL filed by a number of lawyers.

UNI