2 die of bullet wounds after clashes over land agitation

Two persons died of bullet wounds after clashes over land acquisition at Bhangor on Kolkata’s south-eastern fringes on Tuesday. Doctors confirmed that they died of bullet wounds.

Though locals at Bhangor in South 24 Parganas claimed that the police opened fire on an unarmed mob of demonstrators, the government denied the charge.

Trinamool Congress insiders claim that villagers are being instigated by unknown people to disturb peace. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee rushed to the spot.

State minister and local MLA Abdur Rezzak Mollah also visited the spot, but he was prevented from entering the village. Locals went on a rampage, setting ablaze police vehicles and injuring several officers.

Bhangor has been on sporadic boil over land acquisition since 2013 after 13 acres were acquired to set up a power sub-station for the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited.
Things took a violent turn since Monday night after the police picked up Sheikh Kalu, leader of the local agitation. Although no one seemed to know who spearheaded the movement since his arrest, political insiders speculated that fringe ultra-Left elements have come together as the driving force.

Though state power minister Sovan Deb Chattopadhyay announced the project’s suspension on Tuesday, the villagers kept up their demand for closing the substation. “The work has been suspended. Why is the agitation on?” he said, adding that he would sit for a dialogue with them.