Fearing escalation in violence, police on Tuesday did not enter the Nandigram area, the proposed site for a SEZ in West Bengal's East Midnapur district, despite a government decison that police forces would be deployed there to restore peace.
Adequate number of policemen were kept ready for going to the area, but they did not enter the villages fearing escalation of tension, police said.
Meanwhile, police resorted to lathicharge at Fulni bus stop, 25 km from Nandigram, to stop Trinamool Congress activists led by Mita Bakshi, who were trying to enter the area, Superintendent of police G Srinivas said.
State's Chief Secretary A K Deb had said on Monday after reviewing the situation at Nandigram that the police would now enter the villages in Nandigram to restore peace.
"The police will enter not only Sonachura, but also all villages under Nandigram area and intensify vigil to stop clashes and restore confidence among common people," he said.
Police have not entered the villages in Nandigram since the violence on January 7 which left six dead. A district intelligence officer was lynched by a mob exactly a month later.
Members of the Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee, led by the Trinamool Congress, had dug up roads in six or seven villages, which are their stronghold, to prevent the police from entering villages.
Meanwhile, members of the Bhumi Uchhed Pratirodh Committee, which is agitating against the acquisition of land, held a demonstration in front of Nandigram police station on Tuesday in support of their demands.
Nandigram has been witnessing clashes over rumours of land acquisition for a SEZ by Indonesia's Salem group.