Nandigram, Nov. 26: Over 500 people left Nandigram High School for their villages today, apparently emboldened by the likely arrival of a CBI team tomorrow and driven by the need to return home during the harvesting season.
As news spread that the sleuths are coming, the villagers started packing their bags last night.
The Bhoomi Uchchhed Pratirodh Committee’s frantic calls for a CBI probe in Nandigram led many to believe that the bureau could ensure their security.
Sudhin Bijli, who returned to Adhikarypara with his wife, son and daughter, said: “The CPM goons will flee once the CBI enter Nandigram.”
A police camp had been set up at Adhikarypara earlier. “But we were scared to return as we heard that CPM cadres were threatening villagers in the presence of the police,” said Sudhin, 48.
The Pratirodh Committee leadership had arranged a dozen trekkers to take the villagers to Maheshpur and Tekhali, around 10km from Nandigram town. From there they walked 2-3km to their homes in villages like Satengabari, Jambari, Brindabanchowk or Adhikarypara.
Such a large number of Pratirodh Committee supporters had not returned home together since they started fleeing on November 5.
Sources in East Midnapore police said a CBI team led by a deputy inspector general is expected here tomorrow to continue their investigation into the March 14 police firing. The officials from Delhi reached Calcutta today.
Calcutta High Court, which had earlier sought a preliminary probe report from the CBI, ordered a thorough investigation this month.
Since Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel arrived here, the villagers had started returning home in small groups. Some more returned after the police set up camps in Maheshpur, Adhikarypara, Daudpur, Garchakraberia and Amdabad.
The high school shelter that housed over 1,500 refugees a few days ago, had around 700 last evening. CRPF pickets set up at Sonachura and Giribazar last evening made those still living at the camp more confident.
Prabhanshu Shekhar Bera of Jambari, the headmaster of the nearby Brindabanchowk Primary School, returned home with wife Krishna and son Pappu.
