Nandigram leaves indelible scars on the minds of its people: Study

New Delhi, May 11 (UNI) As people of Nandigram are on tenterhooks about their future, police brutality and violence almost two months ago has left indelible scars on their minds, concluded a study.

The people, who witnessed unprovoked and brutal attack on their family and friends during a protest, are suffering from acute mental trauma and distress, said the study conducted by a team of psychiatrists which recently visited the area.

And timely medical intervention is urgently required for them, said the team which comprised five psychiatrists and a group of journalists.

Most of the people, assessed through clinical interview and psychological tests, are showing symptoms of disruptive interaction pattern, feeling of helplessness and fearfulness, said the study.

As many as 14 people were killed and more than 100 injured on March 14 during police firing on a protestors agitating over land acquisition for a special economic zone (SEZ).

Nandigram, located in East Midnapore district of West Bengal, has been on the boil since January over the issue.

Dr Juliet Karmarkar (Counseling Psychologist), Dr Manish Kandpal and Dr Bhasker A V (Psychiatrists) and Dr Jagdish Sadiza and Lovleen Multani (Clinical Psychologists) recently visited Nandigram and interacted with people, particularly the families of victims.

And as is true of any conflict zone, people are gripped by fear, mistrust and anger.

''In Hasanpur village people are very fearful and are quite scared...they told us they don't sleep at night and have also stopped moving out of their homes because of the fear of being singled out and killed,'' said Dr Jagdish Sadiza.

''Fear psychosis is so acute that their day-to-day functioning has been affected. They are living in fear,'' he observed.

Women and children have borne the maximum brunt of the violence.

''Women are more affected by the violence...they would conduct night patrol outside their homes. During daytime they remain vigilant in apprehension of an attack. They have decreased appetite and absent sleep. This lifestyle is taking a toll on them in terms of physical and psychiatric problems,'' said Dr Sadiza.

''Children have stopped going to school, cling to their parents and cry too often... These are manifestations of fear as nightmares and emotional disturbances,'' explained Dr Lovleen Multani.

Fear and violence have given rise to anxiety and depression associated with agitation.

''People feel that their lives are under threat...the sudden raid by the police party had come as a surprise for them,'' pointed out Dr Juliet Karmakar.

Expressing similar views was Prof Sandeep, saying the memories of the incident were haunting people.

''For the villagers it was like a war...The entire area had turned into a battlefield with dead bodies strewn all around.

Injured people screaming. The incident is haunting them,'' he added.

UNI