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Prohibitory orders reimposed in Singur

February 05, 2007 11:24 IST

Ending a seven-day respite, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure were reimposed in Singur on Monday morning, a day after violence erupted over acquisition of land for Tata Motors' small car project.

"The situation in Singur has warranted reimposition of prohibitory orders. This will be subjected to periodic review," official sources said.

The prohibitory orders were in force in the area at a stretch for 55 days from December 5 to January 28 after villagers catched with police in the first major disturbance over land acquisition that brought together divergent forces, including the Trinamool Congress, SUCI and Naxalites to oppose setting up of an industry on farmland.

Activists of the NPMO, a social organisation of which Medha Patkar is a member, also joined the movement.

In a surprise offensive on Sunday, members of the Krishi Jami Raksha Committee, a Trinamool-led platform of 20 organisations, uprooted and set fire to a few fencing poles around the acquired land.

Fighting a pitched battle with police, they hurled bombs and showered stones while the police fired rubber bullets and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the mob.

Several movement leaders, including NPMO activist Anuradha Talwar, were arrested in connection with the incident.

Meanwhile, taking guard against any possible unrest in Singur, police blocked all the entry points to Hoogly district on Monday to prevent the entry of Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee.

Banerjee had announced on Sunday that she would visit Singur to hold a rally in protest against the 'police atrocities and torture' toward the villagers.

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