Nandigram/Tamluk, March 17: Hours after losing control of the six Nandigram villages they had “recaptured” on Wednesday, the police marched into one of them last night and told residents there was nothing to fear.

The police presence at Sonachura emboldened the village’s CPM supporters to start trickling back home today. “By evening, about 60 people had returned from Tekhali (where the CPM has set up a camp) to Sonachura,” said Joydeb Paik, CPM local committee secretary.

Some 1,500 other residents of Sonachura, too, returned today after having fled last night at the sight of the 500 security men, who included jawans of the State Armed Police, Rapid Action Force and the Eastern Frontier Rifles.

“There was no fresh incident today. We are keeping strict watch. Those who want to return home can do so,” said N. Ramesh Babu, deputy inspector-general, Midnapore range.

Nandigram’s villages have been witnessing see-saw exoduses since Wednesday, when the police had entered Sonachura, Adhikarypara, Maheshpur, Gangra, Jalpai and Mondalpara.

As land take-over opponents fled after the firing, some 700 CPM supporters, driven out in early January, returned to these six villages on Thursday.

But they rushed back to Tekhali on Friday as 10,000 stick-wielding Bhoomi Uchchhed Pratirodh Committee supporters marched back with the bodies of two of their dead, and the police withdrew.

But in the night, the police brought generators and lit up the Bhangabera bridge with a dozen fluorescent tubes. A cycle van was fitted out with a big halogen lamp and a generator, and by its light the forces re-entered Sonachura.

“The villagers could clearly see us. When we marched in, there was no one in sight,” an officer said.

But when L.K. Advani led a BJP team to Sonachura this morning, some 8,000 villagers reappeared from the interior villages where they had spent last night. After Advani left around 12.30 pm, most again withdrew towards Gangra and the other villages.

But the 1,500-odd residents of Sonachura stayed back. “They have returned following the police’s assurances,” said Abu Taher, a Pratirodh Committee convener.

At the hospital morgue in Tamluk, three more dead were identified, leaving only four of the 14 bodies — the official toll — still nameless.

Uttam Das, 22, of Gokulnagar identified father Panchan’s body from a photograph the police showed him.

“My father was a landless labourer. He had joined the procession on Wednesday while I had stayed home,” he said. “After a search at Nandigram hospital, I came here.”

Pratap Giri, 50, of Sonachura identified son Rakhal, 22. “I have no land and worked as a daily labourer in Kulpi (South 24-Parganas) with my son. We had come home for Holi,” he said.

There were no claimants for Basanti Kar, 55, of Kalicharanpur.