Tension escalates in Nandigram over BJP activist’s murder; locals block roads, burn tyres

Kolkata: Tension has escalated in Nandigram under Tamluk Lok Sabha constituency in East Midnapore District in West Bengal over the murder of a woman BJP activist Rotibala Ari on Thursday morning by unknown miscreants.

Nandigram residents have started staging protests against the murder by blocking roads and burning tyres.

Some of the shops owned by local ruling party activists were also set on fire.

At several places villagers cut down trees and used them to block roads.

The epicentre of the tension is Sonachura area where unknown miscreants, allegedly having links with the Trinamool Congress, attacked local BJP supporters with sharp weapons, in which one woman activist was killed and several others were injured.

A huge police contingent including personnel from the Rapid Action Force (RAF) have been deputed there to keep the situation under control.

At some places police had to resort to lathi-charge to bring the situation under control. However, till the time of the filing of this report there was no official reaction from the district police administration there.

Similar tensions were witnessed at Nandigram in 2007 and 2008 following the protest movements by the villagers against a proposed land acquisition by then Left Front government for setting up a chemicals hub there.

In fact the Nandigram movement is considered a milestone for influencing the end of the Left Front rule in 2011 and the beginning of the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress regime in the state.

Incidentally, Tamluk is one of the eight Lok Sabha constituencies going for polls in the sixth phase on Saturday and the legislator from Nandigram is the Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari.

IANS