Nine BUPC supporters injured

Nandigram, May 10 (UNI) At least nine BUPC supporters were injured today when a group of CPI(M) activists allegedly fired at them in the Paschim Pally area of Jalpai village under Nandigram police station in East Midnapore.

Official sources said the injured persons were rushed to the Nandigram Health Centre where the condition of three of them was stated to be critical.

Earlier, the Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee (BUPC) supporters had allegedly tried to loot the voting materials kept in the Nandigram Block office.

Police, however, dispersed the mob by lathicharging them.

Meanwhile, several contingents of the BSF and CRPF reached here early this morning to look after the law and order situation. One company of Kerala police had also been brought in.

However, villagers said the police and paramilitary forces that had reached the area so far were not sufficient to maintain peace.

The people were also apprehensive of casting their votes tomorrow with the firing still continuing in certain areas.

East Midnapore Superintendent of Police S S Panda said the security forces were trying to seize all the arms and ammunition in the possession of the villagers.

''We know that there are a lot of such illegal arms in Nandigram.

So far we have been able to recover 13 bombs and six cartridges,''the SP said.

UNI XC DPM/src1517