Search the Internet            Tips

Trinamul, CPI-M blame each other
for Keshpur violence

Violent political clashes that followed Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee's much hyped political rally in Keshpur in West Bengal's Midnapore district on Wednesday evening resulted in 'serious' injuries to the Trinamul Congress chief and several party activists.

Talking to rediff.com, senior Trinamul MLA Pankaj Banerjee alleged that armed goons owing allegiance to the Communist Party of India-Marxist fired at Mamata's rally and hurled crude bombs infuriating the over 200,000 crowd. Banerjee added that armed CPI-M cadres also torched the cars Trinamul leaders were travelling in.

"Even my car was smashed into pieces. Mamata Banerjee narrowly escaped the attack on her life. The gunmen, however, injured her badly. Over hundred Trinamul supporters are injured. We have brought the seriously injured persons to Calcutta while the others have been admitted to hospitals in Garbeta," Banerjee said.

Banerjee accused the administration of being partial to the 'criminals'. All Trinamul leaders except Mamata returned to Calcutta on early Thursday morning.

The Midnapore administration could not be contacted for comments.

While Superintendent of Police Gaurav Dutta was said to be camping in the disturbed area, officer-in-charge of Keshpur police station too could not be contacted. According to his sub-ordinate, bara babu (the boss) was resting having worked throughout the night to bring the situation under control.

However, rubbishing the Trinamul's allegations, local CPI-M leaders presented an entirely different story.

Imtiaz Ali, the CPI-M local committee member of Keshpur, told rediff.com that armed supporters of the Trinamul set off the trouble when they began attacking his sympathisers.

"Trinamul supporters from different parts of Midnapore and adjoining districts had come to Keshpur in buses and matadors. They were well armed and had come here with one intention - to create a law and order problem in the otherwise peaceful Keshpur, which has not witnessed any untoward incident since August this year.

"First, they attacked people in Eluni village torching eight houses and injuring over 20 persons. Then, on their way to the rally, they torched three houses in Amdaba injuring 11 persons, two of whom received bullet injuries," Ali said.

Ali denied reports of Mamata's injury saying that the latter was lying.

The Trinamul policy making body is expected to hold an emergency meeting in Calcutta on Thursday to chalk out its strategy in the wake of renewed violence in strife torn Keshpur. Midnapore district has been in the limelight due to frequent political clashes between Trinamul and CPI-M activists for about two years now.

EARLIER REPORTS
3 Trinamul activists killed in fresh violence in Midnapore district
Four killed in renewed clashes in Midnapore
Trinamul disappears from Midnapore
West Bengal worse than Bihar: Fernandes
Trinamul demands use of Article 355 in Bengal

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report