One dead, four injured in clash over land in Bengal

One person was killed while four others were injured in a clash between two groups over possession of a piece of land in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Saturday, police said. The incident also led to further violence necessitating heavy police deployment.

"One person died on the spot and at least three others received bullet injuries during a clash over possession of the land in Sandeshkhali on Saturday morning," said an officer from Sandeshkhali police station.

Local Trinamool Congress leader and State Food Minister Jyotipriyo Mullick accused Bharatiya Janata Party-backed goons of trying to forcefully acquire the land for a group and resorting to violence.

He said the deceased was a Trinamool Congress activist.

"Some BJP-backed miscreants live in the area. They help people to unlawfully capture land in exchange of money. They tried to do the same today (on Saturday) and fired at the land owner," he said.

"The owner Moina Mollah was a Trinamool Congress activist. He died on the spot. I demand strict punishment for the miscreants," he said.

The BJP, however, rebuffed the allegations and claimed that the clash was a result of Trinamool' internal faction fight.

"BJP has no link with the incident. The clash is result of Trinamool's internal feud. Jyotipriyo Mullick is either not aware of the incident or he is lying," said local BJP leader Bikash Singha.

Following the incident, the clash intensified in Sandeshkhali's Pakhiralay village as a mob ransacked several houses in the area. Nearly five houses were torched in the village, police said.

A large contingent from the nearby police stations, including Sandeshkhali, rushed to the spot to control the situation.

--IANS

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