KOLKATA: A man was killed and dozens of people were injured in eastern India yesterday after hundreds of people clashed with police, accusing authorities of hoarding food stocks meant for the poor, officials said.
At least 100 people, including dozens of policemen, have been injured in clashes this week in communist-ruled West Bengal during protests against what locals say is widespread graft in the government's public distribution system (PDS).
Poor villagers say that subsidised food grains and sugar meant for them were being diverted to regular markets and sold at huge premiums by corrupt PDS officials.
"We have deployed a massive police force and are trying to bring the situation under control," said Peeyush Pandey, the district police chief of Burdwan, where the latest trouble broke out yesterday.
Witnesses said one protester was killed when police opened fire to disperse a mob but police said they were still investigating how he died.
One protester, said to be starving for days, was shot dead by police on Monday during a similar demonstration.
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