Kolkata: In view of reports of post-poll
violence in West Bengal, Governor MK Narayanan on Monday held a
high level meeting to review law and order in the state and
asked officials to act immediately in such cases, even as arms
were seized from a CPI(M) office and a cooperative run by it.
Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh, Home Secretary GD Gautama,
Director General of Police Naparajit Mukherjee, Commissioner
of Kolkata Police RK Pachnanda and ADG IB Banibrata Basu were
present at the meeting in Raj Bhavan.
Ghosh later told reporters that four incidents of
post-poll violence had taken place so far, including one each
at Garbeta in West Midnapore district and Taldangra in Bankura
district.
CPI(M) Goaltore Zonal Committee member Jiten Nandi was
beaten to death by villagers alleging that he had been
responsible for atrocities against them while three other
party workers were injured at Maita village here on May 14.
A day later, CPI(M) zonal committee member Ajit Lohar was
dragged out of his house and lynched at Saltore village in
Bankura district.
Ghosh said that all district magistrates and SPs had been
alerted through SMS.
Altogether 144 companies of central forces would remain
deployed till May 23 to prevent post-poll violence, besides 40
companies posted permanently in Maoist junglemahal.
Block Development Officer Rezwanur Wahab raided the
CPI(M) Zonal party office at Pingla in West Midnapore district
and seized two pipeguns, a pistol, 380 rounds and a large
number of tangis, police sources said.
In Hooghly district, the police seized 18 firearms from
Khanakul and Goghata area, Superintendent of Police Tanmoy
Raychowdhury said, adding more policemen were deployed in
Goghat and Khankul areas and prohibitory orders clamped.
In Goghat area, the police seized five guns from the
office of agricultural cooperative society which is controlled
by the CPI(M), the sources said.
Bankura SP Pranab Kumar said 12 firearms including five
guns, a rifle, two 9 mm pistols, four one-shotters and 19
rounds were found dumped in a field at Mahura village under
Jaipur police station.
Local people alleged that CPI(M) cadres left the
firearms there.
One person was arrested, Kumar said.
In Goaltore Salboni and Keshpur areas in West Midnapore
district, the police seized over 100 firearms from CPI(M)
cadres, the sources said.
Prohibitory orders have been clamped in Garbeta and
Goaltore police station areas and police patrols intensified,
District Magistrate Surendra Gupta said.
CPI(M) leader Sushanta Ghosh met the DM and demanded
that measures be taken for the safety of Marxist workers and
supporters in the district.
On Saturday and Sunday, the local people handed over a
large number of illegal firearms to the police in West
Midnapore district which they claimed that they had seized
from the CPI(M) cadres.
PTI
