Factual Information

March 14 and onwards

1. Villagers in Nandigram killed in police firing on march 14th, when around 5000 policemen and many CPM cadre moved in to occupy the area.
2. Newspaper reports put the death toll between 6 and 32 (biases and govt censorship) but actual death toll is more than 100. (reference ) Hundreds more have been injured severely. Many women and children are among those killed and injured.
3. Around 600 people are missing according to latest reports on bengali news channels.
4. Contrary to CPI(M)'s claims, Trinamul congress and Maoists are not at the centrestage of the resistance against
   
5. There are reports that the govt is not letting people access to bodies of relatives, in fact bodies are being put in plastic bags and thrown into the sea.
6. Due to bold (and even violent) resistance by the people, some policemen have also been injured (not one has been killed). The govt and sections of the media are trying to exaggerate and shift focus to this.
7. The area had been a no-entry zone for policemen and the state administration for more than two months.
8. Many left-leaning intellectuals and artists have denounced the CPM and have strongly come out in support of the Nandigram villagers.
9. Intellectuals and artists who have protested strongly: Nabaneeta Dev Sen (writer), Romila Thapar (historian), Arundhati Roy (writer), Tanika Sarkar (historian), Sumit Sarkar (historian), Jean Dreze (Economist), Bibhas Chakraborty (theatre), Monoj Mitra (theatre), Ashoke Mukhopadhyay (theatre), Kaushik Sen (theatre), Bratya Basu (theatre), Nabarun Bhattacharya (writer)

Background info

1. 22,500 acres of land to be acquired for chemical hub SEZ by multi-national salim group of indonesia.
2. On 2 January 2007, a notice was officially issued by HDA that initially about 14,500 acres of land in Nandigram.
3. Clashes between people and police and CPM cadre on 3rd Jan.
4. Since then violent incidents have been frequent, and the villagers have put up stiff resistance. (Medha Patkar's report )
   
5. Social activists had already warned of a growing build-up of CPM cadre and policemen around Nandigram.
   
6. Krishi Bhumi Uchched Virodhi Samiti is the organisation of the villagers. The Trinamul Congress, main opposition party, is externally supporting it.
7. Nandigram is a predominantly Muslim area and an erstwhile CPM support zone. Muslim organisations were among the first to get active.