Trinamool workers gherao Nandigram police station

Nandigram, Aug 11 (UNI) A mob, led by Trinamool Congress MLA Subhendu Adhikary, today gheraoed the Nandigram police station to demand the dismissal of its Officer-in-Charge Debashish Chakraborty and re-introduction of CRPF in the area.

Recently, Mr Adhikary, also the Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee (BUPC) convenor, was selected as the party's candidate to contest the Tamluk Parliamentary seat.

On Saturday, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, in an all-party peace meeting, had ruled out the need of deploying the CRPF in Nandigram to tackle violence.

The Trinamool also protested against the alleged firing on the houses of party supporters in Jadubari Chowk, Gaur Chakraberia, Bhuta Morh, Usmanchak, Bamki Morh and other villages since last morning.

It also alleged that Hasina Bibi, a party worker, was hit on her right eye by cartridges in the Usmanchak village yesterday and she had been admitted to the Nandigram hospital.

SP, East Midnapore, S S Panda, however, said the situation in Nandigram was peaceful so far, although tense, despite the gherao of the police station.

On the seizure of arms and ammunition from miscreants' possession in the area, about which a decision was taken in the all-party peace meeting at Tamluk, presided over by the Chief Minister, Mr Panda said no step could yet be taken in this regard.

''Any action will be possible only after peace returns to Nandigram,'' the SP said, adding, ''It is difficult to restore peace in Nandigram until the coming Lok Sabha elections are over.'' Meanwhile, CPI(M) MP from the area Lakshman Seth alleged that the Trinamool was continuing the violence in Nandigram so that not a single vote is cast in favour of CPI(M) candidates in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

However, Mr Adhikary, in his counter-allegation, said the Trinamool had not joined the all-party peace meeting as it was ''meaningless''.

''The CPI(M) is continuing its old policy of resorting to violence on the very next day after the all-party peace meeting as they have been doing earlier,'' he added.

UNI XC RH DPM RD 1623