Two ministers gheraoed by flood affected people on NH-6

Midnapur, June 24 (UNI) West Bengal Civil Defence Minister Srikumar Banerjee and Irrigation Minister Nandogopal Bhattacharjee were gheraoed by about 1000 people, protesting inadequate flood relief, on NH-6 near Panskura today.

SP Midnapur East District S S Panda said the incident took place when Mr Chatterjee and Mr Bhattacharjee were coming to supervise the relief distributions in the flood affected areas.

The agitated mob observed that they would not allow the ministers to enter the flood stricken areas as relief distributions were totally failure and under chaos.

They gheraoed them for about two hours till police reached the spot and negotiated with the agitators.

The ministers told the agitators that they would enquire the matter and take necessary steps to ensure proper relief to the affected people.

Meanwhile, at Chandipur, people beat BDO Sudip Ghosh in Gargram village and looted relief materials.The car of the BDO was also ransacked. Some reporters and photographers were also manhandled and their cameras were broken.

Reports of looting of relief materials were also reaching from Patashpur and Bhagabanpur block areas since last night.

SDO Egra Siddharta Sankar Chakraborty said '' we are trying to provide relief to the flood affected areas on a war foot.'' UNI XC ADG DB1932