People's Democracy

Nandigram Once More In The Grip

Of Trinamul-Naxalite Attack

B Prasant

A FRESH wave of armed assault by Trinamul Congress-Naxalite elements left Nandigram bleeding and restless once again. The toll: two dead and 14 seriously injured including a six-year-old girl. On the successive mornings of October 7 and 8, armed hooligans attacked Daudpur and Ranichak areas before the arrival of the first light. Completely panic-struck and bewildered at the ferocious gunfire and exploding bombs, more than 200 men and women accompanied by children just ran away as fast as they could with the attacking Trinamul-Naxalite murderers giving chase.

In the mêlée, 72-year old kisan woman, Parvati Mitra fell behind and the attackers pumped five bullets into her even as she screamed in fear and asked to be spared. She died on the spot, a bleeding heap. The slogan was then raised by the Naxalites: ‘a class enemy has been eliminated.’ In the meanwhile, 92-year Sudhir Samanta had failed get off his cot where he slept as the panic-struck members of his seven-member family ran away from the approaching bomb blasts and gunfire.

Death came to Sudhir Samanta in swift measure when his aged and ailing heart simply gave up as a series of bombs burst with a deafening roar on the abutting veranda. The gunfire continued and among the victims who are all admitted to local health centres and hospitals is a six-year old girl who was shot twice on her thin chest, and had incredibly survived but remains in a very, very critical condition.

The nearby police camp came alive soon after and as the police personnel moved out, the attackers were well able to make good their escape. Later the police told the media that the shooting and the attack emanated from the far side of the Talapati canal, from Maoist-dominated Sonachura and Trinamul-controlled Gokulnagar localities.

CPI(M) WORKER KILLED

Comrade Manas Mondal a member of the Kalagetchia local committee of the CPI(M) at Nandigram was shot to death by Trinamul Congress-Naxalite murders on the third day of the sporadic attack being organised on the locality. Comrade Manas, who leaves behind his widow Bharati and three daughters, was a school teacher as is Bharati.

Comrade Manas was killed when he attempted to resist attacks on women by two-dozen gun-toting, black-clad, masked Trinamul-Naxalite goons in the area where his school is located. State secretary of the Bengal unit of the CPI(M) Biman Basu has strongly condemned the killing and the recent spate of violence created by the Trinamul Congress and its running mates.

The attackers came at daybreak and sought to terrorise the local villagers into leaving the area. Bombs were lobbed indiscriminately. Guns were fired at the rural folk, stuck up in their hutments. The lumpen elements specifically targeted women and children. The aim was clear. The Trinamul-Naxalites would like to take control of that area of Nandigram that abuts Sonachura and Gokulnagar, which they run yet in the most lawless manner imaginable.

The unarmed and angry villagers desperate for survival came out of the huts and shanties as the day rolled on and standing tall amidst the bombs and gun shots, beat back the attackers by sheer weight of numbers. In the clash 20 villagers, several of whom are active sympathisers of the CPI(M) were seriously injured.

One CPI(M) worker Mohini Mondal went missing and the worst is feared about him if he falls into the hands of the retreating anti-socials of the Trinamul Congress and the various Naxalite fractions. The CPI(M)-called bandh of Khejuri has passed off peacefully, as we file this report.