Date:14/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/14/stories/2008031460481200.htm

National

Police were forced to fire in Dinhata: Buddhadeb

Special Correspondent

KOLKATA: The police were forced to open fire on demonstrators after other measures to quell the disturbances failed at Dinhata inCooch Behar district on February 5, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee told the Assembly here on Thursday.

Five supporters of the All India Forward Bloc died in the firing while a member of the National Volunteer Force (NVF) was killed in subsequent violence that day.

The Central Reserve Police Force had not fired during the incident, Mr. Bhattacharjee said making a statement on the incident.

The police firing had been condemned by the AIFB, whose State secretary Ashok Ghosh had described it as “second Nandigram.”

“Initial efforts failed”

Mr. Bhattacharjee said that initially the police resorted to a baton charge and burst tear gas shells to disperse demonstrators who had stormed into the office of the sub-divisional officer and additional chief judicial magistrate while participating in a law violation programme. When that failed, the police had to fire to save the lives of government employees and to protect government property.

The demonstrators had also set on fire a police vehicle, damaged another and a bus parked nearby. Five persons died and several others were injured in the police firing. Twentyfour policemen were injured and a NVF member was killed when attacked by the demonstrators, Mr. Bhattacharjee said.

A judicial commission would begin its inquiries from March 17 and submit report within six months, he added.

But, AIFB members did not agree with the Chief Minister’s explanation.