No further immediate withdrawal of forces from Nandigram

Kolkata, Mar 22 (UNI) Two days after the first pull out of police, the West Bengal Government today said there would be no further withdrawal of forces from Nandigram in immediate future.

''There will be no further withdrawl of police camps from Nandigram immediately,'' Home Secretary Prasad Ranjan Ray told reporters.

In keeping with its promise, the government pulled out police from two areas of Nandigram on March 20 as part of the process to defuse tension in the strife-torn area where 14 people died recently in police firing.

However, police were still camping in three out of the total 18 villages under the Nandigram panchayat area.

In reply to a question on the continuing incidents of unrest in Nandigram, Mr Ray said there was no possibility of imposing prohibitory orders under section 144 Cr PC in the area. He said after yesterday's incident, in which a CPI(M) party office and camp of supporters were set on fire, no fresh untoward incidents were reported today.

At a meeting, held on March 19, the ruling Left Front had decided to withdraw in phases police from Nandigram while announcing that no land would be taken for industry.

UNI