Protests rage in Nandigram

About fifty women on Tuesday surrounded the local police station in West Bengal's Nandigram, protesting against the acquisition of land for an SEZ.

The area has seen violent protests in the past month.

Their other demands were restoration of ferry services, stopped by the state administration to carry out its land acquisition programme, investigation into violent incidents, withdrawal of 'false cases' and government action against 'intimidation by CPI(M) cadres' to the peasants.

The women farmers also held a rally near the police station. About 3,000 people attended the rally. The women belonged to the 'Bhumi Uchhed Pratirodh

Committee', a body of peasants fighting against land acquisition at Nandigram in East Midnapore district.

The speakers alleged that the car of a team of women intellectuals, who were coming from outside to participate in the rally, had been intercepted by CPI(M) cadres near Nandigram.

The police, however, said they had received no such complaint.