Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Violence after reimposition of prohibitory orders at Singur

Kamarkundu (Hooghly), February 5: Singur turned into a veritable battlefield on Monday as police lathi-charged and lobbed teargas shells to disperse a violent mob that broke Section 144 and tried to march towards Kamarkundu railway colony ground.

According to reports, 12 persons, including two police personnel, were injured in today’s violence. Six people were arrested and put in a police van but were taken out by fellow protesters, reports said.

Police said they had to use force after the mob started throwing stones on them.

The state government has re-imposed Section 144 till February 14, thereby outlawing all rallies and assemblage in Singur, the site for Tata Motors’ small car project.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, scheduled to address a rally in Singur on February 15, today said: “Things will be all right there. There will be no problem.”

According to reports, the mob today also burnt down a truck and tried to torch the railway track near Kmarkundu railway station. They also put up a blockade at the railway station, and on the road leading there. The police removed the blockade later.

Even journalists could not escape the police ire today, with a few media persons ending up on the wrong side of the khaki baton. The police lobbed teargas shells in the area where journalists hid themselves.

Apologising to the journalists for the police excesses, District Superintendent of Police Supratim Sarker later said: “It was unfortunate. I will look into the matter and fix responsibility for whoever did this.”

Earlier in the day, some villagers uprooted parts of the fence guarding the project site in Beraberi village. The fencing was later put back in place, and a large police contingent was posted there.

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