Three die in clashes over rural board

Kolkata: Violence over the formation of panchayat boards continues as three more persons were killed and over two dozens injured at Amdanga in North 24 Parganas during a clash between the Trinamul Congress and CPI(M) late on Tuesday night. Among the victims, two — Kuddus Goni and Nasir Haldar — were Trinamul workers. The third victim — Muzaffar Piyada — was a CPI(M) worker.

Rattled by the killings, the Mamata Banerjee government has put the board formation process on hold after removing the inspector-in-charge (IC) of the Amdanga police station: Manas Das following allegations of partisan role by the Trinamul against him.

Mr Das has been replaced by Tushar Biswas in the post. The chief minister however blamed the Opposition parties for triggering the violence.

While leaving the state secretariat: Nabanna in the evening she said, “Those who do not have self-confidence indulge in politics of murder. Many lives have been lost.”

She added, “The politics of murder has now become a model. The opposition is bringing outsiders to unleash terror. Many Trinamul workers are losing their lives to resist them.” The board formation of Taraberia gram panchayat at Amdanga with 19 seats was scheduled on Wednesday.

While the Trinamul has won nine seats, the CPI(M) bagged seven with the BJP, Congress getting one each and an independent candidate winning another. The clash however broke since Tuesday morning between the Trinamul and CPI(M) over taking control of the board. The situation initially came under control after the police reached the area.

It, however, took a dangerous shape at night when bombs and bullets flew freely claiming three lives and leaving 28 injured. Among the injured, condition of seven is critical. Accusing the CPI(M) of the violence and importing arms state food supplies minister Jyotipriyo Mullick wondered, “Where are these arms coming from?”

He claimed, “They were imported from outside. The arms used in the firing are from Bangladesh. They were from brought from the neighbouring country. There was no negligence of the police. Why will the police commit negligence? The CPI(M) workers are gathering bombs from different parts of the district.”

Mr Mullick, who is also the North 24 Parganas district president of the Trinamul, alleged, “They have been united to resist the Trinamul and BJP. The Trinamul can not be resisted this way. After inspecting the spot Inspector General (South Bengal) Niraj Kumar Singh however clearly differed with the minister.

He added, “Where the arms were brought from is a matter of investigation. No comment can be made on it. The arms were there. The police seized it from the village only. The information we have is that there are some people who make it locally with ingredients. If the arms were brought from elsewhere only the probe can say it.” The police also recovered several bombs.

CPI(M) MLA Sujan Chakraborty alleged, “Bengal is burning. It is in a dangerous situation. Politics of murder has been introduced by the Trinamul. But what the chief minister is saying in public is bogus. Wherever the CPI(M) wins, its candidates come under attack.”