Nandigram boils again, politicians add fuel to fire

TROUBLE RESTARTS: Two people were killed in Nandigram, redrafting the CPM's agenda dramatically.

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Keywords: Bhumi Raksha Committee, CPM

Kolkata: Trouble-torn Nandigram erupted with fresh violence on Thursday afternoon after the brutal murder of CPM local committee secretary Niranjan Mandal.

Two people were killed, redrafting the CPM's agenda dramatically. The party leveled allegations against rival political forces like Bhumi Ucched Protirodh Committee for killing Mandal.

BUPC and TMC loyalists engaged Left cadre in areas of Gadupada in Tekhali and Butarpada in Sonachura. Reports of heavy bombing and exchange of gunfire trickled in through a blockaded National Highway-6 throughout the day.

“We are all aware where the first bullet came from. I do not need to underline the fact that Gadupada is a stronghold of which party,” said IG Western Range Rakesh Gupta.

Despite assurances of adequate security measures, police were facing chaos by mid afternoon. The Opposition called it CPM's planned move to divert attention from its steadily losing grounds at Singur.

“Coping with its panchayat losses, it must now save face in Singur. What happened today in Nandigram is merely to shift the focus away from the problem child at Singur,” said Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee.

The Left cadre may have blocked the arterial Chandipur road that connects Nandigram to the National Highway but political opinion remains divided on whether the Left will be able to block the Opposition’s master-stroke at Singur.