One killed in fresh Nandigram violence

Nandigram, Apr 29 (UNI) At least one person was killed and two seriously injured as fresh violence rocked the strife-torn Nandigram area once again today.

Members of the Trinamool Congress-led Bhoomi Uchched Protirodh Committee and CPI(M) workers clashed in a free exchange of bombs and gun shots at Satrangi bazar, a remote area under Nandigram police station, Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Raj Kanojia told UNI.

''The violence broke out in the morning and continued till afternoon even before police could arrive. One person, stated to be a CPI(M) supporter, was killed and two others were injured.

The victims have received bullet injuries,'' he said.

The IG said a large contingent of police reached the spot and efforts were being made to normalise the situation.

Today's incident was a reminder of the bloody violence that took place on January 7 in which five people had been killed after reports of acqusition of land for an SEZ ignited the situation in this largely agrarian area driving a vertical political wedge among the local people owning allegeance to the CPI(M) and the opposition parties.

At least 14 people were killed and more than 70 injured in Nandigram on March 14 when police opened fire to quell a mob protesting the proposed take over of agricultural land for the SEZ for a chemical hub to be developed by the Indonesian Salim Group with Indian Oil Corporation being the anchor investor.

Though the proposed SEZ was scrapped, following continuous unrest after the March 14 incident, the area continued to be on boil for the past four months even as Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee made repeated attempts to convene all party meetings to restore peace.

The incident came only two days after Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee warned the state Government another ''disaster'' in the area if CPI(M) workers did not stop ''attacking'' Nandigram from the adjoining Khejuri.

Ms Banerjee had warned that the Government would be solely responsible in case of any major untoward incident.

Thousands of people, most of them CPI(M) supporters, are still homeless as sporadic violence continues even after the Government issued a notification announcing that no land would be acquired in the area for any project. A hearing into the Nandigram carnage report by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the Calcutta High Court remained deferred amidst reports of not only killings but atrocities on women during the police action of March 14.

UNI