WB calls meeting to review situation

KOLKATA: With the situation worsening in Nandigram in the wake of fresh violence, the West Bengal government on Monday convened an all-party meeting to take stock of the situation.

West Bengal Home Secretary P R Roy said, "the situation has worsened since yesterday because of fresh violence. Due to timely intervention by the police, the situation was controlled. Otherwise, it could have been much more serious".

He was briefing reporters after a high-level meeting convened by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to review the situation at Nandigram.

Chief Secretary Amit Kiran Deb and Director General of Police A B Bhora were also present at the meeting. The state government, he said, has informed the Centre of the prevailing situation at Nandigram.

Asked why the police did not enter the villages, he said they were instructed to be more restrained. "We do not want a repeat of March 14 incident. There is likely to be strong resistance if the police entered the villages at Nandigram", he said.

The state administration, he said, was trying to convene another all-party meeting to restore peace and normalcy in the area.

Roy said he has not received any report from the hospital but "I am told that one person was killed and about 10 persons were injured in yesterday's violence".

Nandigram remained tense today as sporadic clashes erupted between the CPI(M) and supporters of the Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee (BUPC) yesterday, spearheading the anti land acquisition agitation, official sources said.