The violence over large scale irregularities in the public distribution system in West Bengal intensified on Sunday.
An irate mob torched two ration dealers’ houses in as many districts and set ablaze the office of the ruling CPM in Burdwan district, forcing police and RAF to resort to lathi charge, reports  said.

Elsewhere in Bankura, Birbhum and Murshidabad districts, angry villagers assembled in large numbers at various places to demonstrate against the alleged corruption in ration distribution and foodgrain hoarding. The protests have so far claimed six lives.

At Nawabhat in Burdwan district, about 230 km from the city, irate villagers first set afire the house of ration shopkeeper Golam Mohammed and his car. After this, they went berserk and attacked the CPM supporters at a neighbouring place during a meeting.

At least 25 CPM supporters were injured in the clash and the CPM legislator of North Burdwan Pradip Das was heckled, when he reportedly failed to promise a CBI inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the PDS. Later, some villagers torched the CPM office in the vicinity.

Police reinforcements shortly reached the spot and dispersed the crowd after lathi charge. Eight villagers were arrested in connection with the attack. “The situation is now under control,” District SP P Pande said.

There was tension over the ration scam in some other areas like Golshi, Itaru and Shashankha of the district, considered to be CPM strongholds. Meanwhile, ration riots spread to Murshidabad district, where angry villagers torched the house of a ration dealer and looted his godown.

A ration dealer from Bankura hanged himself on Saturday, as he could not afford to pay the Rs 400,000 fine slapped on him by a kangaroo court.