Trinamool activists clash with cops

Nandigram: In a fresh round of violence, Trinamool Congress activists have broken rail tracks in Asansol, West Bengal, and have held up the Rajdhani Express, apart from clashing with the police.

The state of West Bengal is observing a bandh on Monday, called by the Trinamool Congress and the Congress party, after at least eight people died in clashes between CPI-M supporters and villagers in Nandigram.

Allies of the CPI-M, are upset and have started criticising the government for the violence and clashes that took place after protests against the acquisition of land for Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in East Midnapore.

At least three bodies were reportedly recovered by villagers in Nandigram's Garchakraberia village.

The third victim of the violence was a 17-year-old-boy whose body was brought back to his parents on Sunday evening.

At least five others reportedly died in the clashes between activists of the CPI-M and members of the Land Eviction Resistance Committee.

And as the death toll is rising, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee is a worried man.

"The Opposition is creating a major problem. We will have to sort them out," he said.

And while the Chief Minister is concerned, the police is yet to reach the disturbed area. Though they are apprehensive of more attacks and violence, angry villagers say the police wouldn't be very welcome there.

Says a resident of the area, Rafique, "We have vowed to protect our land at any cost. Some of our brothers might have been killed, but we'll fight on and we don't want the police around."

The West Bengal government wants to acquire 10,000 to 14,000 acres in Nandigram to set up an SEZ, but the government maintains that no formal notification has been issued yet and that a local body has only issued a notice naming wards where land is likely to be acquired.

This was what had reportedly triggered off the violence in the area. To protest against the killings, Opposition parties in Bengal have called a bandh on Monday.

(With inputs from Satyarth Nayak in New Delhi)

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