The Hindu : National : Chaos in West Bengal Assembly over train blasts

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Wednesday, Nov 22, 2006
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Chaos in West Bengal Assembly over train blasts

Special Correspondent

KOLKATA: Chaos prevailed in the West Bengal Assembly on Tuesday, with the Opposition members expressing their outrage over Monday's explosion, which ripped off portions of a compartment of the Haldibari Passenger in Jalpaiguri district and demanding a statement from the Chief Minister on the incident.

Trinamool Congress and Socialist Unity Centre of India members walked out of the House when their demand for two separate adjournment motions on the subject were rejected by Speaker H.A. Halim.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who described the incident as "dangerous," told the House that efforts were on to ascertain which militant group was behind the blast. He had spoken to Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, and a Central detective team would inspect the site of the explosion to help in investigations.

Militant groups such as the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation and the United Liberation Front of Asom are being suspected to have a hand in the blast, an official at the State Secretariat said.

According to the State Government, seven persons, including a child, were killed in the blast and not 10 as reported earlier.

The death toll, however could increase, it is feared. Among the 52 injured, the condition of nearly 20 was stated to be critical.

The House condemned the incident and observed a two-minute silence as a mark of respect to those killed.

There was another blast during the day. A landmine exploded in the Belpahari thana area of Paschim Medinipur in south Bengal, the site of Maoist violence in recent months. A security man was injured.

Alert sounded

An alert has been sounded across the State following the Monday incident and special vigil was being maintained at railway stations and on trains. A sum of Rs. 50,000 would be given to the family of the bereaved and the State would bear the medical expenses of the injured, Mr. Bhattacharjee announced.

A team of senior police officers and experts from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory have reached the spot and attempts were on to ascertain the explosives and equipment used to trigger the blast, he said. The incident was also discussed at a Cabinet meeting.

Handiwork of terrorists

Biman Bose, Secretary of the State Committee of the Communist Party of India [Marxist] and chairman of the Left Front committee, strongly condemned the incident. The dastardly act was the handiwork of terrorists, he said.

The Left Front observed a protest day. Processions were taken out in different parts of the State and they will continue on Wednesday too.

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