33 injured in clash over open-cast mine in Birbhum
8 Nov 2012 4:16 AM IST
Amid allegations of police firing, 33 people - 27 policemen and six villagers - were injured in pitched battles early Tuesday in West Bengal's Birbhum district over a long-time dispute regarding land acquisition for an open cast mine, officials said.
The injured also included three police officers. Some police vehicles were also set on fire and damaged during the clashes which occurred at Loba village under Dubrajpur police station, about 226 km from here.
‘A total 27 police personnel and six villagers have been injured. Two of the villagers and some of the policemen are serious. The injured are being treated at Suri Hospital and Burdwan Medical College and Hospital,’ state Home Secretary Basudeb Bandopadhyay told mediapersons at the state secretariat here.
Joydeep Mazumdar, secretary of the Krishi Jomi Raksha Committee (Save Farmland Committee) in the troubled area, said over 20 villagers sustained injuries when they were attacked by the police.
‘Around 1,000 policemen came to our village early in the morning and suddenly attacked us with batons. They wanted to move a machinery, against which we protested. Then they opened fire, injuring several of us,’ said Mazumdar.
However, Bandopadhay denied the allegation. ‘There was no police firing. The district police superintendent has informed me that the medical reports of the injured did not mention any remnant of bullets,’ he said.
Trinamool Congress parliamentarian from Birbhum Shatabdi Roy initially said she had heard about police firing.
‘Yes, I have heard that the police have fired and some villagers have been injured. Some policemen have also been injured. Industrialisation is necessary but not at the cost of people's life,’ said Roy. But the actress-turned Trinamool MP did a volte-face soon after and said the police had not opened fire.
CONGRESS DEMANDS CBI PROBE
The Congress on Tuesday demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into allegations of police firing in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, where 33 people - 27 policemen and six villagers - were injured in pitched battles early Tuesday. ‘While the injured have alleged that there was police firing, the (state) government has denied it. For the truth to come out, it is essential that the matter be probed by the CBI,’ state Congress president Pradip Bhattacharya told media persons here. ‘The home secretary says the policemen were attacked by the villagers and there was no firing. I want to ask how the villagers got injured. Is it believable that the police did not retaliate?’ Bhattacharya asked. The incident occurred at Loba village under Dubrajpur police station, about 226 km from here.
The injured also included three police officers. Some police vehicles were also set on fire and damaged during the clashes which occurred at Loba village under Dubrajpur police station, about 226 km from here.
‘A total 27 police personnel and six villagers have been injured. Two of the villagers and some of the policemen are serious. The injured are being treated at Suri Hospital and Burdwan Medical College and Hospital,’ state Home Secretary Basudeb Bandopadhyay told mediapersons at the state secretariat here.
Joydeep Mazumdar, secretary of the Krishi Jomi Raksha Committee (Save Farmland Committee) in the troubled area, said over 20 villagers sustained injuries when they were attacked by the police.
‘Around 1,000 policemen came to our village early in the morning and suddenly attacked us with batons. They wanted to move a machinery, against which we protested. Then they opened fire, injuring several of us,’ said Mazumdar.
However, Bandopadhay denied the allegation. ‘There was no police firing. The district police superintendent has informed me that the medical reports of the injured did not mention any remnant of bullets,’ he said.
Trinamool Congress parliamentarian from Birbhum Shatabdi Roy initially said she had heard about police firing.
‘Yes, I have heard that the police have fired and some villagers have been injured. Some policemen have also been injured. Industrialisation is necessary but not at the cost of people's life,’ said Roy. But the actress-turned Trinamool MP did a volte-face soon after and said the police had not opened fire.
CONGRESS DEMANDS CBI PROBE
The Congress on Tuesday demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into allegations of police firing in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, where 33 people - 27 policemen and six villagers - were injured in pitched battles early Tuesday. ‘While the injured have alleged that there was police firing, the (state) government has denied it. For the truth to come out, it is essential that the matter be probed by the CBI,’ state Congress president Pradip Bhattacharya told media persons here. ‘The home secretary says the policemen were attacked by the villagers and there was no firing. I want to ask how the villagers got injured. Is it believable that the police did not retaliate?’ Bhattacharya asked. The incident occurred at Loba village under Dubrajpur police station, about 226 km from here.
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