KOLKATA: The preliminary report by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the police firing at Nandigram in West Bengal's Purbo Medinipur district on March 14 was submitted to a division bench of the Calcutta High Court comprising Chief Justice S.S. Nijjar and Justice P.C. Ghosh on Thursday. Hearing on the report has been scheduled for March 26.

Counsel for the CBI Ranjan Roy submitted the report enclosed in a sealed envelope. The bench will study the report and decide whether to give any further direction to the CBI when the matter is taken up for hearing on that date.

Taking cognisance of the serious situation at Nandigram, the bench had on March 15 directed the CBI Director to arrange for sending a team of specialists to Nandigram, collect relevant material with regard to the police action at the earliest, and report back to it.

Fourteen persons were killed in the police firing and subsequent violence at Nandigram.

The State Government's advocate general, Balai Roy, prayed for more time to file its affidavit on the issue as had been directed by the Court earlier. The prayer was granted by the division bench, which allowed an extension of two days for submitting the affidavit.

The bench also directed all parties interested in moving a public interest litigation petition with regard to the Nandigram incident to file an affidavit in support of their submissions before March 26.

One such submission was by a voluntary organisation regarding dispensing of medical aid to those injured in the violence at Nandigram.

The State's Criminal Investigation Department is also probing the circumstances that resulted in the firing. An executive inquiry into the incident has been ordered by the State Government too.

"The State Government has sent a report on the firing to the Centre and no additional report had been sought from it," the State's Chief Secretary, Amit Kiran Deb, said.

No fresh violence

Though there was no report of any fresh violence at Nandigram, the situation remained tense, West Bengal Home Secretary, Prasad Ranjan Roy, said. There was no immediate plan to impose prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code there or to shift any more police camps from the area, he added.

Two such camps had been relocated earlier.

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