Violent protests rock poll-bound Nandigram

Barely 48 hours before Nandigram in East Medinipur district in West Bengal votes in the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections, a murder of a female BJP worker and injuries suffered by at least seven other karyakartas in an alleged attack by Trinamool Congress cadre, led to widespread violence.

- SUPROTIM MUKHERJEE

The police and RAF personnel lathicharged protestors who burnt tyres and blocked roads.

Nandigram MLA and the BJP’s Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, alleged that late last night a group of BJP activists, including the slain woman Rathibala Ari and her son Sanjay Ari were part of a party team tasked to keep an eye on polling booths “protect EVMs from being hijacked and guard against outsiders when Trinamool Congress; goons attacked the team with sharp weapons.”