Irate mob ransacks ration dealers' houses

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Nov. 4: A mob ransacked the house of a ration dealer, Mrs Bharati Saha, and looted her shop at Jalalpur under the Kaliachak police station today, the police and the food and supplies officials said. Two more dealers were attacked and their shops looted in the Kaliachak police station area today, the Malda SP,Mr DK Mondal. said. Police could not recover the loot which was taken from Mrs Bharati Saha's godown. No arrests have been made so far. "We will start cases if the dealers lodge complaints. The police would not resist the villagers by firing to avoid accidental deaths, Mr Mondal told The Statesman over the phone. According to the authorities, the villagers had asked the dealer to attend a meeting today about corruption in the public distribution system, but Mrs Saha and her family members left their house this morning and did not attend it. As a result of this, the mob turned violent at 10 am and raided her house.The police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control around 12 pm. An inspector of food and supplies department has been asked to inquire into the incident after hearing public grievances and report to the district administration. Yesterday, angry villagers attacked another ration dealer's shop at Achintala under the Kaliachak police station. Many dealers have left their homes fearing attack and demand of compensation, mainly in Ratua Chanchal and Harischandrapur blocks. “Villagers locked up more than three ration shops in the Ratua police station area. The public distribution system has been suspended due to this problem," said Mr NK Saha, the Malda district controller, food and supplies (DCFS). “We have informed the matter to the police, but the problem is yet to be resolved. Perhaps the police are waiting for some people who are trying to settle the mater locally," Mr Saha, added. The Malda superintendent of police Mr DK Mondal said: “The block development officer, food officials, including the DCFS, have started dialogue with the villagers to tackle the situation with the help of the police."