Mob torches sand mining office after accident

A sand laden dumper knocked down and injured a farmer, following which angry local people set fire to a sand mine office and its vehicles near Kalipur under Chakdaha police station in Nadia district today, police said.
Houses of two local Trinamool Congress leaders, who run the sand mine business, were also ransacked by a mob.
A dumper carrying sand rammed into the cycle of the farmer injuring him seriously. He was first taken to a local hospital from where he was referred to a hospital in Kolkata.
Following the accident, local villagers attacked its office near Bhagirathi river and set fire to it, police said.

The villagers were opposed to the sand mining as, they said, regular plying of dumpers are affecting agriculture and it has become difficult to walk in the narrow village road because of the dumpers.
They alleged that bombs were stockpiled in the office which also exploded severely damaging the office.

At least three vehicles used in the mining business were also torched.
The mob also ransacked the houses of local Trinamool Congress leaders Ashish Shikdar and Kalyan Biswas.
While Shikdar or Biswas could not be contacted, Shanku Chakraborty, another person involved in the business, said the dumper that hit the farmer did not belong to them.

About the attack on the mine office, he alleged it was a planned attack by CPI(M) and BJP.
Denying that bombs had been kept in the office, he said barrels of diesel were there which exploded.
None was arrested.