Nandigram remained tense on Friday as cadres of both the BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress went on the rampage in several areas vandalising the houses of their political opponents.
The vandalisms were a sequel to the killing of 56-year-old Rathirani Ari, mother of a local BJP leader, in Sonachura early on Thursday.
Police said more than 100 houses had been ransacked in areas like Mansabazar, Bheturia and Southkhali by cadres of the BJP and Trinamool as the parties wanted to show their strength ahead of the Lok Sabha polls on Saturday.
“Later, police, RAF and central forces went to the trouble-torn areas and brought the situation under control. A total of 10 people were detained for their involvement in the incidents of vandalism,” said a senior police officer.
Sabuj Pradhan, a Trinamool leader in Sonachura, where Ari had been killed on Thursday, said that nearly 100 houses belonging to Trinamool supporters were ransacked by the BJP.
“We have started two relief camps in Garchakraberia and Tarachandbar in Nandigram to give shelter to the supporters whose houses were completely damaged. We demand strong action against those who were involved in the vandalism,” said the TMC leader.
On the other hand, the BJP alleged that the goons backed by Trinamool damaged several houses of the BJP supporters and some of them were set on fire.
“The administration did nothing to arrest the culprits who killed a 56-year-old lady, but they have detained 10 of our supporters for no apparent reason,” said Meghnad Pal, a BJP leader in Nandigram.
Both the BJP and Trinamool alleged that though the central forces were deployed in the area since Wednesday, the administration did not use them for area domination.
A section of the senior government officials was also surprised how the administration allowed the vandalism to take place a day after a woman had been killed.
“It is surprising that there was no patrol by the police or the central force after
the lady was killed. The district administration should have sensed that there was tension and that could spark off fresh trouble a day before the polls,” said a senior Nabanna official.
