The Hindu : National : Midnapore villagers live in fear

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 18, 2005

National

National

Midnapore villagers live in fear

Midnapore: People in about 20 villages of West Bengal's West Midnapur district live in fear after a 500 pound shell reportedly missed target during an Indian Air Force exercise and fell in Sushnigeria forest area damaging forest resources and buildings.

Superintendent of Police Ajay Nand said ``the incident occurred when the Air Force personnel at the Kalaikunda air base were carrying out daily drills.''

Huge fire

``The shell after missing target hit at Jhargram sub-division's in the forest area causing a huge fire over more than an acre of forest land and damaged several houses including a school building,'' he said.

Keshiapata High School building situated about 3 km from the place where the shell fell was the worst affected. Big cracks have developed in the building, he said. The administration has taken effective steps to help the local inhabitants.

However, Defence a spokesperson denied the reports. ``We have no reports of any such incident in the area,'' he said. — UNI

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