Kolkata, June 15: Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir on Friday said there are problems with the law and order situation in West Bengal, citing the killing of BJP activists during the recent panchayat polls.
"This is the only state where Opposition parties are not allowed to file nominations. We all know how BJP activists were killed during the last panchayat elections here in the state.
"The elections here were marred by violence. This is not good for democracy. There are some problems with the law and order situation in the state," he told reporters here.
Underlining that the law and order situation is a state subject, Ahir stressed that it is the duty of the West Bengal government to oversee the matter.
The single-phase panchayat elections was marred by sporadic violence which claimed a few lives and left many injured.
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Kollam (PTI): Around 10 fishing boats anchored in Ashtamudi Lake were gutted in a massive fire in the early hours of Sunday, police said.
The incident occurred in the Kureepuzha area under the jurisdiction of the Anchalumood police station.
According to police, the blaze was first spotted past midnight, and the boats, anchored in a row, caught fire. Residents and fire personnel rushed to contain the flames.
"As per preliminary assessment, around 10 boats were destroyed. The exact cause is yet to be identified, but a gas cylinder blast is suspected," a police officer said, adding no casualties have been reported.
Lok Sabha MP N K Premachandran urged the government to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the incident, citing repeated fire outbreaks in the region, including a similar case at Mukkad just days ago.
"Recurring incidents have caused widespread concern among those dependent on the fisheries sector," Premachandran said, noting that preliminary suspicion points to a gas stove explosion.
He called for a detailed investigation to determine the cause and urged the government to provide compensation to those affected.
