27 policemen, 6 villagers injured in clash in Bengal village

Official sources said residents of Loba village under Khairasole police station area attacked the police party with bows, arrows and bombs when it went there to recover an earth-moving machine of a project seized by villagers.

West Bengal Home Secretary Basudeb Banerjee told reporters in Kolkata that 27 policemen and six villagers were injured in the clash.

He said the police did not open fire and showed patience.

Leader of Opposition Surjya Kanta Mishra claimed that the police had opened fire.

"There was no reason to open fire, but the police has resorted to firing," he said in Kolkata and demanded an inquiry into the incident.

Demanding a CBI inquiry, PCC chief Pradip Bhattacharya told reporters that it was necessary to find out whether the police was speaking the truth.

Banerjee said that DVC-EMTA was working on a project in the area and there was some dispute with local people after which villagers seized the earth-moving machine.

He said the injured were being treated at Suri hospital and Burdwan medical college hospital.

The Home Secretary said the district magistrate has been asked to take steps to resolve the problem through dialogue.