CPI-M activist shot dead in Nandigram

Kolkata: A Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) member died after allegedly being fired upon by rival Bhumi Uchched Pratirodh Committee (BUPC) members in West Bengal's Nandigram district on Thursday.

The incident took place during a shutdown called by the CPI-M in the area.

"Dulal Garu, a CPI-M supporter, was gunned down by BUPC members near Chadalpur in Nandigram. He received a bullet injury while participating in a protest rally taken out by the CPI-M," said the officer-in-charge of Nandigram police station, Debashis Chakraborty.

"Garu died while being taken to the nearest hospital," he said.

Earlier, on Wednesday, CPI-M leader Niranjan Mondal had been shot dead in the Rajaramchak area of Nandigram, about 150 km from the state capital Kolkata. The party had blamed the Trinamool Congress-backed anti-land acquisition group BUPC for the killing.

The district CPI-M leadership had called a 24-hour shutdown in Nandigram to protest Mondal's killing.

Tension gripped the region during the shutdown yesterday.

Asok Gudia, a district secretariat member of the CPI-M, said: "We have called for a 24-hour shutdown in five blocks of Nandigram to protest these repeated attacks on our party members."

Damage to roads

"The shutdown is being observed in Nandigram and adjoining areas. BUPC activists dug up roads at four-five places in and around Nandigram," said East Midnapore Superintendent of Police S.S. Panda. Villagers however said CPI-M supporters had provoked BUPC members by firing at them and hurling crude bombs.

Political violence flared in Nandigram last year over a land acquisition proposal for a special economic zone.

"We condemn this CPI-M-sponsored violence in Nandigram. CPI-M cadres have been creating trouble ever since they lost the local body election in May. Since we have come to power, we have some responsibility to restore normalcy in the violence-hit region. We have requested everyone to maintain peace in the area," said BUPC leader Shaikh Suffian.