Kolkata: A ration dealer's house and the office of the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) were set ablaze in Burdwan district of West Bengal yesterday in the continuing protests against alleged corruption in the public distribution system (PDS) and food grain hoarding that have claimed four lives.
A group of people set on fire the house of ration shopkeeper Golam Mohammad at Nawabhat in Burdwan district, about 250km northwest of Kolkata, and as the mob left the area it torched the CPM office in the vicinity.
The group clashed with police and some CPM supporters alleging that the ration dealers were hoarding food grains.
Burdwan Superintendent of Police Piyush Pande said that about 25 people, including Pradip Das, the CPM legislator from the area, were injured during the arson and subsequent police action.
"The situation is now under control. We have arrested eight people," Pande said.
Police said Mohammad was attacked after he failed to pay up money demanded by the group. His storehouse was also set on fire. There was tension in some other areas of the district such as Golshi, Itaru and Shashankha.
Burdwan had witnessed similar attacks on Saturday as well along with Bankura and Birbhum districts.
A ration dealer from Bankura on Saturday hanged himself as he could not afford to pay the Rs400,000 fine slapped on him by a kangaroo court.
Biman Kundu, 32, was found hanging from the ceiling at his home in Borokumira village, 230km from Kolkata.
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