POLITICS !

CPM-TMC clash in Tufanganj, 1 killed, BSF flag march, bandh

 

TUFANGANJ (Cooch Behar), June 12: Tension prevailing in Nakkatigachh and other areas in Tufanganj of Cooch Behar following last night's large-scale violence in that area. One person died and several others wounded there in a widespread clash between CPI-M and Trinamul Congress supporters. 16 persons were arrested so far.

 

Today, both the parties have called 24-hour bandh in Tufanganj blaming each other for the violence. War of wards started between the two parties claiming the dead man as their supporter.

 

Cooch Behar DM Mr Rajesh Kumar Sinha said BSF were deployed in Tufanganj. The situation is now under control. Flag march of BSF is going on. Section 144 CrPC was imposed in the area to maintain law and order situation peaceful. Police are patrolling in the troubled area.

 

Ignoring the prohibitory order hundreds of Trinamul Congress supporters took out rallies in Tufanganj since this morning.

 

Natabari MLA (CPI-M) Mr Tamser Ali demanded promulgation of curfew in the area alleging that the Trinamul Congress supporters are not obeying the prohibitory order (Section 144 CrPC). This morning, he conveyed the demand to the chief minister's office.

 

Mentionworthy, several persons were wounded in a massive clash that occurred between CPI-M and Trinamul Congress supporters at Nakkatigachh in Tufanganj, Cooch Behar, on Wednesday night. The violence claimed the life of one Debabrata Pramanik (22). Two Trinamul Congress supporters – Pran Kumar Barman and Brojendra Barman were sent to hospital in serious condition.

 

District Trinamul Congress president Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh claimed that their three supporters received gunfire injury. Four others also injured, he said.

 

District CPI-M secretary Mr Chandi Pal alleged that 21 of their supporters were injured. He alleged that police are not taking strict measures to control the situation. "If this continues we will have to handle the situation on our own", he threatened.

 

Mr Chandi Pal alleged that after the panchayat elections the Trinamul Congress started terror politics in several areas in Tufanganj. Yesterday they attacked the Nakkatigachh CPI-M office at Baraitola. They killed a SFI leader Debabrata Pramanik, who is a student of Tufanganj College. Pramanik was inside the office when the Trinamul supports made the attack. "Protesting the killing the SFI called a 24-hour bandh today and we extended support to it", he said.

 

"The Trinamul Congress goons attacked the residence of Natabari MLA Mr Tamser Ali at Deocharai this morning", Mr Pal said. The MLA too alleged that the Trinamul Congress supporters kept his residence encircled from this morning but policemen prevented them from committing any harm.

 

District Trinamul Congress president, Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh claimed that Pramanik and all of his family members joined the Trinamul Congress after the panchayat elections. He started working for Trinamul Chhatra Parishad. The armed CPI-M men gunned down him when they attacked the Trinamul's rally at Baraitola in which he was a participant. Mr Ghosh denied of any attack on the Natabari MLA's residence.

 

Mr Ghosh alleged that they lodged a FIR against 64 persons but 16 men only were arrested till now. No firearm was also seized, he alleged.

 

On the otherhand, Natabari MLA, also a CPI-M district secretariat member, Mr Tamser Ali believes that anti-socials brought from Assam accompanied the Trinamul men yesterday. They freely used firearms and the SFI leader died of their gunshot, he alleged.

 

Today afternoon, after post-mortem, when the body arrived in Tufanganj from Cooch Behar, Trinamul Congress leaders visited the residence of the killed man accompanying his body. A large crowd gathered there. Late Pramanik was from a farm-labourer family and was a student second year BA. []

 

Bandh called

 

COOCH BEHAR, June 12: Trinamul Congress called a 12-hour bandh in Cooch Behar-II block tomorrow in protest against the death of a supporter. District Trinamul Congress vice-president Mr Niranjan Dutta said armed CPI-M men had roughly assaulted Safiuddin Rahman on Sunday at his Pundibari residence. The man died at a private hospital last night. To stage protest against the CPI-M's act a bandh will be held in Cooch Behar-II block tomorrow, Mr Dutta said.

 

On the otherhand, SFI called a strike at educational institutions tomorrow against killing of Debabrata Pramanik who was killed last night. Pramanik was a student of Tufanganj College and SFI claimed him as a leader. Trinamul Congress too claimed him as a leader of Trinamul Chhatra Parishad. []