8 die in Lalgarh shootout
Armed CPI(M) cadres allegedly opened fire on defenceless villagers, killing eight, including at least two women, and injuring 17 near Lalgarh in West Midnapore on Friday, pushing the Left Front government onto the backfoot ahead of crucial Assembly elections in West Bengal. Six of the victims have been identified as Sourav Gharui, Shambhunath Ghorui, Dhiren Sen, Kabul Patra, Phulkumari Maity and Dhruba Goswami.
The death toll may rise as some of the injured were in critical condition. Two CPI(M) men have been arrested.
“What we have been saying all this while about the presence of harmad (armed thugs) camps in Jangalmahal, and what even Union home minister P. Chidambaram has endorsed, has been confirmed today,” said Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, adding that chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had blood on his hands. She left for West Midnapore on Friday afternoon. Rejecting her charge, the ruling CPI(M) alleged that the villagers were killed by Maoists. The bloodbath took place at around 10.30 am at Netai village, in Belatikri gram panchayat of Lalgarh police station area. Nearly 1,000 villagers, including a large number of women, had assembled near the house of a local CPI(M) leader, Ranjit Dandapat, to protest their diktat. “Three weeks ago the CPI(M) harmad had told the villagers that each household would have to send at least one member to join their armed camp and also provide their meals. The villagers had assembled to protest against this,” said Trinamul Congress MP Subhendu Adhikary.
Local villagers alleged that since the recapture of Lalgarh in early October, the CPI(M) cadres had been trying to forcibly establish total dominance. “They set up a camp and stockpiled arms and ammunition. Around 60 harmad were staying here. They had forced us to send our youth to join their camp and send them food,” revealed a villager.
On Friday evening the villagers held a meeting and decided they would no longer obey their orders. The situation took an ugly turn when angry villagers demanded the disbanding of the armed camp. “Someone from the roof of the house started firing on the villagers,” alleged Mr Adhikary. According to one report, fire was returned. “There were over a dozen strangers in the group of villagers who were apparently Maoists,” said sources. Two CPI(M) supporters were injured.
State home secretary G.D. Gautama said, “Eight persons were killed, including at least two women, in a clash between the CPI(M) and the Trinamul Congress. It was a political clash and the Maoists were not involved in it, according to preliminary reports.”
Most of the injured were being treated at Midnapore Medical College and Hospital. Four of the critically injured have been brought to the city. Alleging police inaction, Trinamul Congress, Congress and SUCI activists demonstrated in front of the office of SP (West Midnapore) Manoj Kumar Verma, damaging the gate.
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