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Monday, May 12, 2008
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Nandigram police official alleges attack by CRPF personnel

Special Correspondent

State Home department orders probe into incidents
I am not exceeding my limit: CRPF official

KOLKATA: An attack on the officer in charge of the local police station allegedly by CRPF personnel at Nandigram marred the panchayat polls in West Bengal on Sunday. And, there was a telephonic spat between Alok Raj, Deputy Inspector-General, CRPF, and CPI(M) MP Lakshman Seth.

Local policemen had an altercation with the CRPF personnel in which Debashis Chakravarty, officer in charge of the Nandigram police station, claimed that he was beaten up when a team which he was leading arrived in the Gokulnagar area. The CRPF personnel had gone there following reports of some local people trying to foment trouble and reportedly attacked some villagers.

The State Home department has ordered an inquiry into the incidents.

“Rule violation”

The war of words between Mr. Seth and Mr. Raj ensued when the latter was accused of misusing his powers by visiting certain booths without proper escort, which the CPI(M) leader said was violation of election rules. Mr. Raj denied the charge and said he was “doing his duty” and was moving about in the area accompanied by a magistrate and local policemen as per instructions.

“I am not exceeding my limit. I am not harming anybody but am just doing my patrolling and nothing else. You cannot direct me and confine me to the [CRPF] camp,” Mr. Raj retorted.

“I am trying to protect the citizens of this area and am doing my duty. You are pressuring and blackmailing me,” he told Mr. Seth.

“FIR false”

Mr. Raj also took exception to a “false allegation” made in an FIR of molestation and assault of two women from the Sonachura area on Saturday. The FIR was lodged at the Nandigram thana.

“I am very, very hurt with the false FIR. I will go to the honourable court and ask the court to interfere in the matter and seek a CBI and a judicial inquiry against this,” Mr. Raj told Mr. Seth.

Mr. Seth accused Mr. Raj of “misbehaving” with him and refusing to answer when he telephoned on Saturday to look into reports of CPI(M) supporters being attacked. As for the FIR filed against the CRPF official, he said that he was not aware of who had filed it.

Mr. Seth criticised Mr. Raj for moving from one booth to another in the course of the elections.

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