Clashes in WB after poll results; LF meets guv

Clashes were reported from some parts of West Bengal after the announcement of assembly poll results in which the Trinamool Congress trounced the Left Front with the Communist Party of India-Marxist alleging that three of its activists have been killed.

Left leaders met Governor M K Narayanan and sought his intervention in ending what they described as a "reign of terror" unleashed by the Trinamool cadres against Left activists and organisations after the Friday poll results.

A report from Howrah district said some police vehicles were damaged when police went to Chandrapur village to disperse activists of TC and CPI-M, who fought a pitched battle late on Sunday night.

"Today representatives of nine Left Front constituents and Workers' Party met the Governor and sought his intervention in ending the reign of terror unleashed by the Trinamool Congress on Left activists and organisations," CPI-M central committee member Mohd Selim told mediapersons after meeting Narayanan.

Selim alleged that three CPI-M activists were killed and five injured since the announcement of the results but no FIR had been lodged or any arrests made.

He alleged that armed goons backed by TC were raiding the Left party offices and dropping the arms there to justify the attack. They are also dictating the police to book the Left workers under the arms case, he claimed.

Elected Left representatives in various panchayats and civic bodies are being ordered at gunpoint to resign, he said, adding thousands of Left workers and supporters along with women and children, were forcibly evicted from their homes.

Medical students of NRS Medical College hostel in Kolkata were being evicted by the Trinamool Congress, he claimed.

"We have given the Governor a CD of the atrocities being committed by Trinamool Congress. We have requested him to take action within 48 hours. He has assured us that he will do it," Selim said.

Before meeting the Left Front delegation, the Governor also held a meeting with state DGP Naparajit Mukherjee and Kolkata Police Commissioner R K Pachnanda.

On hearing about clashes between TC and CPI-M supporters at Chandrapur village under Amta police station in Howrah district, policemen rushed to the spot but the supporters of the two rival political parties attacked the police vehicles and damaged them, police sources said.

CPI-M leader Pratush Mukherjee alleged that 15 houses of Marxist supporters were damaged by TC activists at Chandrapur village.

TC leader Biswanath Laha denied the CPI-M allegations and instead claimed that CPI-M activists attacked their supporters.

Prohibitory orders under section 144 Crpc were also clamped in some areas in two West Bengal districts -- West Midnapore and Howrah -- following seizure of a huge quantity of illegal arms by villagers from alleged Marxist workers since conclusion of counting of votes on Friday, police said.