Huzur Saheber Mela concludes

 

COOCH BEHAR, Feb. 19: The two-day Huzur Saheber Mela concluded at Haldibari in Cooch Behar this afternoon. It was the sixty-fourth year of the enormous fair.

 

Though originally it was a congregation of religious people the large Hujur Saheber Mela is now stands as an example of communal harmony. People of all sects of belief come here to attend the fair.

 

Cooch Behar District Police took several measures to maintain peace during the two-day fair. A large contingent of police personnel was deployed at the fair premises. Senior officials were also there to supervise the security measures. Two watchtowers fitted with closed circuit TV cameras were also erected to keep vigil on visitors.

 

Large number of visitors and devotees started coming to the fair from different areas of north Bengal and Assam since yesterday morning. They visited the holy Mazar of Huzur Saheb to pay respect to the divine Huzur Saheb. Usually the devotees offer incense sticks and candles at the Mazar but from this year they were allowed to offer flowers too. The flowers were sold against high price at the fair premises because there was a heavy demand for flowers among the devotees.

 

It was learnt that the fair organisers introduced use of flower from this year as a precaution to prevent fire incident in the crowded fair. Though thousands of people assembled at the two-day fair, no untoward incident was reported, Cooch Behar SP Mr Anil Kumar claimed. []

 

 

CPM-Cong clash at Gitaldaha in Dinhata, 4 hurt

 

COOCH BEHAR, Feb. 19: Four persons were injured in a clash between CPI-M and Congress supporters at Gitaldaha in Dinhata last night. Three of the injured were sent to Dinhata sub-divisional hospital while the remaining one is under medical care in a private nursing home in Dinhata. No one was arrested in connection with the incident till now.

 

It was learnt that a dispute occurred between one Islam Mian and some villagers at Narayanganj village of Gitaldaha on yesterday morning over smuggling of cattle. At last the dispute rolled to a clash. As the area is adjacent to the Indo-Bangladesh border cattle smuggling is a regular event there. Later, at night, a clash occurred between CPI-M and Congress supporters over the issue in which four persons were wounded.

 

Following the incident a large contingent of police rushed to the area. Heavy police patrolling is going on though no fresh incident was reported so far. A bandh like situation is also going on in the area since this morning. Police however claimed that the situation is now under control.

 

Meanwhile, blame game started over the issue. The Upo-pradhan of Gitaldaha Gram Panchayat Mr Lakshikanto Kaloar (Congress) alleged that CPI-M supporters are engaged in cattle smuggling and that is the root cause of the trouble. On the otherhand, a senior CPI-M leader of Dinhata Mr Tarapada Barman refuted the allegation and blamed the Congress supporters for large-scale cattle trafficking. []