Bombs hurled in Nandigram

Panic gripped Nandigram in West Bengal on Friday night as at least 10 bombs were hurled at Pankhai and Serkhanchak localities, a short distance away from a police post.

The bombs were lobbed from Khejuri at around 10 pm by unidentified persons though there were no reports of any casualties, police said.

Pankhai and Serkhanchak are strongholds of the Trinamool Congress-backed Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee while Khejuri is dominated by the Communist Party of India - Marxist.

The two groups have been at loggerheads over the acquisition of land for a proposed SEZ, and Nandigram has witnessed violent protests on the issue over the past few months.

On March 14, fourteen people were killed in police firing and violence in Nandigram.

Congress leader Manik Bhowmik alleged that CPI-M activists were trying to terrorise people by hurling bombs from Khejuri.

Earlier in the day, the ruling Left Front organised a peace rally in Khejuri that was joined by 500 CPI-M activists. The rally called for return of 'displaced CPI-M activists and supporters to Sonachura, Bhangabera and other parts of Nandigram.'

The Congress, however, alleged some rallyists threatened a delegation of a legal aid forum when its members came face to face with the procession. The forum went to Nandigram to make an assessment of the situation there.

The CPI-M denied the charge and said the rallyists only shouted slogans for restoring law and order in the area. BUPC had been resisting the acquisition of land in the area by the state government for setting up a chemical hub and a SEZ.