Three killed in firing near Lalgarh

KOLKATA - Three people, among them a woman, were killed and many others were injured in gunfire near the Maoist stronghold of Lalgarh in West Bengal’s West Midnapore district Friday, police said.

“Three people have been killed in firing by miscreants. A police team has reached the spot,” said West Midnapore Additional Superintendent of Police (headquarters) Sukesh Jain.

“After having detailed information from our own sources, we will be able to comment on this,” he added.

Villagers, however, claimed armed Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) cadres opened fire at protesting villagers, leaving four people dead. The CPI-M has denied the allegation.

According to villagers, the incident took place when a group of 20-30 villagers in Netai village near Lalgarh surrounded a camp of armed cadres of the CPI-M, protesting the threats the Marxists issued to them.

To prevent the angry villagers from agitating in front of the camp, CPI-M cadres opened fire at them, the villagers added.

“At least 20 people were injured, of whom eight sustained critical bullet injuries. Later, four people, including a woman, succumbed to their injuries,” a villager and a Trinamool Congress supporter said on condition of anonymity.

Hospital sources said a woman, identified as Phoolkumari, died on the way to hospital while three men - Shambhunath Ghosh, Bhiren Sen and Kabul Partho - died on the spot.

The CPI-M leadership in the district, however, denied the villagers’ allegations, saying that there was no presence of CPI-M cadre camps in the area.