12-hour Nandigram bandh peaceful

Nandigram, Jul 30 (UNI) Life was affected as a 12-hour bandh, called by the Bhoomi Uchched Protirodh Committee(BUPC), was observed here today in protest against yesterday's police lathicharge.

Describing the bandh as peaceful, Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Raj Kanojia said no reports of untoward incidents had been reported so far.

East Midnapore district Superintendent of Police G Srinivasan said the situation in the area was tense and no fresh incidence was reported so far.

He said reinforcement of Rapid Action Force, State Armed Police and Eastern frontier Rifles had been deployed. Armed guards picket had been kept near the CPM Zonal Committee Office which had been ransacked by BUPC supporters yesterday.

Markets, shops, educational institutions remained closed and buses did not ply as tension prevailed in the area that witnessed yesterday's bloody clashes between rival political groups.

Police had lathicharged a mob of Trinamool Congress-led BUPC activists who had attacked the CPI(M) zonal committee. The BUPC alleged that 35 people had been injured in the police action.

The trouble broke out after members of two separate processions of the BUPC and CPI(M) clashed using bombs and fire arms. The CPI(M) supporters in Nandigram had taken out the procession to celebrate the party's victory in the Haldia Municipal polls.

The clash broke out four days after the CPI(M)-led Left Front won the crucial civic polls in the adjoining industrial town of Haldia defeating a combined opposition.

Bapan Patra, stated to be a CPI(M) supporter, was killed during the clash when he was working in the paddy field. Barun Mondal, another CPI(M) supporter was seriously injured while two Trinamool Congress workers-- Adhir Khatua and Manoranjan Midda--also received bullet injuries.

UNI