About a hundred Central Recruitment Police Force personnel accompanied by a magistrate on Monday entered Nandigram after three companies of the Central force were prevented from entering the trouble-torn area following blockade by CPI(M) supporters.
"Five companies of CRPF have arrived, of which one has entered Nandigram, while two more companies are expected to arrive in West Bengal in a couple of days," Home Secretary P R Roy told reporters in Kolkata.
Asked why no one was being allowed to enter the village, he said, "You know the situation. Even the CRPF is not being allowed in." He said that situation in the village was tense, but peaceful.
Earlier, CRPF Director General S I S Ahmed met Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee at the Writers' Building.
Ahmed was closeted with the chief minister for quite some time. Three companies of CRPF had to return on Sunday night to Tamluk, the district headquarters of East Midnapore, after being stopped by CPI(M) supporters blocking roads.
The CRPF men chased CPI(M) supporters after being stopped at Fulni. They later tried to enter by another road at Reahpara but were prevented by the Marxist activists. The para-military personnel then drove back to Chandipur police station before returning to Tamluk.
East Mindapore Superintendent of Police Satyeswar Panda admitted that the CRPF personnel were blocked by CPI(M) supporters and had to go back from Nandigram.