Cop killed while attempting to prevent cattle smuggling in Bengal's Nandigram

Tension prevailed at Nandigram in West Bengal's East Midnapore district on Thursday after a policeman was killed while attempting to prevent cattle smuggling in a locality.

As per the information available, a patrolling police jeep attached to the local Reyapara Police station in Nandigram intercepted a truck this morning on suspicion that smuggled cattle were being transported through it.

On being intercepted, the driver of the truck, in his attempt to escape, hit thevehicle.

After hitting the police vehicle, the driver of the truck escaped from the scene. The police vehicle driver and the two other cops were badly injured in the crash.

Of the three, the driver of the police vehicle, Sahadeb Pradhan, also a local resident, was injured the most. He was immediately rushed to the Nandigram Super-Speciality Hospital, but died soon after.

The two other cops, who received injuries, are currently under treatment at the same hospital. The deceased driver, who used to reside at this residence at Reyapara along with his aged mother and younger brother, was the sole earning member of the family.

Following the mishap, his neighbours protested in the area and complained that the higher district police officials have always ignored complaints of cattle smuggling through this area. Some of the neighbours were also seen having heated exchanges of words with the local cops.

At the time the report was filed, tension was prevailing in the area. The police were trying to track the killer truck and its driver. "We will take strong action against the culprits. No one will be spared," claimed a district police official.

Meanwhile, a political slugfest has started over the development, with the district BJP leadership claiming that the incident proves how safe even the policemen in West Bengal are. The Trinamool Congress leadership has accused the of unnecessarily politicising the unfortunate death of the police driver.

The elected legislator from the Nandigram Assembly constituency is the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari.

(With inputs from IANS)