Ishwardaha, Feb. 7: As even-ing rolled into night, police flashed the headlights of jeeps and heavy-duty torches to speed up the repair of roads dug up last night by villagers opposed to land acquisition.

As the work continued, Eastern Frontier Rifles and Rapid Action Force jawans marched through the darkness, occasionally using torchlight to find their way.

There are no men in the village, bracing for police action since some of its residents attacked their comrades this morning. “We’ve never experienced such insecurity. We’ve had to leave our women behind. They are all alone, listening to the boots of jawans marching past our huts,” said Shakti Laiya, who is hiding outside Ishwardaha.

When the land war was raging in Nandigram, observers said, tension was building on this side of the Haldi.

Although all four panchayat members from the village belong to the CPM, the Baastu Krishi Jomi Banchao Committee has been dominating the political scene for the past two months, partly because many low-rung CPI workers have also joined its movement.

“We forced a CPM motorcycle procession to backtrack yesterday. After that, we anticipated an attack from their supporters and dug up four roads in the north, from where we feared they might enter,” said Bhim Maiti, who is also in hiding.

Night fell early at Ishwardaha today. The women and the children locked themselves up and kept the windows shut.

Police vehicles lined up at Gangamore around 6, when the repair work began.

CPM supporters brought out processions in the evening and marched up to Gangamore. “Dholai hobe, petai hobe (a thrashing is on the way),” they chanted.

Local Sutahata MLA Nityananda Bera said the Opposition engineered today’s vio-lence. “No notice of any kind for land acquisition had been issued, but passions are being whipped up in its name for the 2008 panchayat polls.”