RAIGANJ, April 25: Tension looms large over Elenga village in Raiganj after a housewife, identified as Saleha Khatun(30), wife of a Congress supporter Mr Dukhia Mohammad, was found hanging from the ceiling of her house this afternoon. Congress leaders of the area suspect the involvement of CPI(M) activists behind this death.
It was learnt that ten persons were injured in a clash between the CPI-M and Congress activists on 20 April. Six houses including the house of Mr Habibur Rahaman, a grampanchyat candidate of the CPI-M were torched. Saleha’s husband Mr Dukhia Mohammad was also involved in the clash. Mr Mohammad fled the village after the clash and learnt of his wife’s death after he returned home today.
The sabhapati of Raiganj panchayat samity and a Congress member Mr Baren Roy said: “CPI-M activists would frequently visit Mr Dukhia Mohammad’s house and threatened his wife. Dukhia found his wife hanging fro the ceiling of the house when he returned home after attending namaz at a mosque in the village.”
Mr Omshed Ali, secretary CPI-M zonal committe said: “The CPI-M activists have nothing to do with the incident.”
Mr Pradip Chakraborty, IC, Raiganj police station said: “We have not received any complaint yet. However, the body has been sent for postmortem and police patrolling has been intensified in the village to protect any untoward incident following the death of the woman.”

RAIGANJ, April 15: In North Dinajpur district, the Left Front could not reach a unanimous decision regarding the panchayat election. West Bengal Socialist party, a partner of the Left Front in the state assembly is now making preparations to contest the election on their own.
In the gram panchayat level the CPI-M could not reach unity with both the RSP and AIFB in some places where both the AIFB and RSP will contest seats alone.
In Goalpokhar-2 block the CPI-M failed to form a coalition with the AIFB and in Mougha and Jaingaon gram panchayats in Islampur block CPI-M could not reach a collaboration with the RSP.
The secretary of West Bengal Socialist party of North Dinajpur Mr Arun Dey said, “In the last five years we extensively developed pisciculture in Hemtabad, Raiganj and Kaliyaganj blocks of the district where numerous residents including women were brought under income generating schemes. We usually demanded 63 and 12 seats in gram panchayat and panchayat samities respectively in Raiganj block and another 35 and seven seats in gram panchayat and panchayat samities of Hemtabad in the district. In the other seven blocks we were ready to adjust with the Left Front without any conditions. But our demands were ruled out by CPI-M leaders.”
“We have decided to fight the panchayat elections alone this year. According to our strength we will send candidates in all gram panchayats and panchayat samities in Raiganj, Hemtabad and Kaliyaganj. Though we do not have the capacity to win in every place, it will be harmful to the Left Front unity. But we have to do it for our existence,” added Mr Dey.
The secretary of North Dinajpur AIFB committee Mr Gokul Roy said, “In Goalpokhar-2 block our strength was not considered by CPI-M. So we decided to fight alone in gram panchayat level.”
On the other hand the district secretary of North Dinajpur CPI-M Mr Bireshwar Lahiri said, “In the last district Left Front committee meeting the district secretary of WB Socialist party did not turn up. So adjustment was not possible with them. In Goalpokhar-2 block AIFB’s demand was far from their strength. RSP also demanded the same in Maugha and Jaigaon gram panchayats in Islampur block. So an absolute Left Front was not made this year.”

Source: www.thestatesman.net

RAIGANJ,April 10: As soon as the dates of panchayat poll were announced the North Dinajpur District Magistrate sought more police forces from the state government to conduct the polls peacefully in the district. It was reported that North Dinajpur police have been facing acute shortage of officers for the past few months. The post of additional superintendent of police and two DSPs are still vacant for the past four months. Apart from these, there is a shortage of 70 SI and ASI level officers in all nine police stations. North Dinajpur district is treated as a sensitive district as it shares a 221 km India -Bangladesh international border and considerable areas of Itahar, Raiganj, Karandi-ghi, Goalpokhar,Chakulia and Islampur police stations share Bengal -Bihar state border. Before panchayat polls criminals may get entry to the district from Bihar. In such a crisis law & order problem can arise before panchayat polls. If any major incident happens police will have to meet great hardships to tackle it. The North Dinajpur SP Mr SB Purnapatra said,”We are facing an acute crisis of officers in all police stations for the last few months.Yet majority of police officers are devoted to their service. So the incident of major law & order violation has not happened yet.”
Source

RAIGANJ, April 8: An eco-park at Manipara, near Kulick Bird Sanctuary has not been opened to the public even after three years since the North Dinajpur district administration constructed it for Rs 1 crore.
Reportedly, the park could not be opened to the public all this while as the district administration failed to sort out a tussle between the North Dinajpur zillaprishad and Raiganj panchyat samity over a demand to be the revenue authority of the park. On the other hand the park is losing its beauty and is turning into a haven for anti-socials in absence of proper maintanance.
The park was constructed with funds from Border Area Development Project,NREGS, MP Lad, 10th Finance, Uttar Banga Unnayan Parshad, Rastriya Samavikash Yojona, MLA Lad and funds from North Dinajpur zillaparishad at Manipara of Bahin grampanchayat under Raiganj panchayat samity. A canal was also dug up to offer boating facilities to the visitors.
The problem started when the Raiganj panchayat samity demanded to be the revenue authority of the park as it came under their jurisdiction and North Dinajpur zillaparishad authorities denied to hand over its charge to Raiganj panchayat samity as a bulk amount was spent from the North Dinajpur zillaparisahd funds to construct this park. The inauguration has been held up for the last three years as the district administration has failed to resolve the matter.
The sabhapati of Raiganj Panchayat samity Mr Baren Roy said: “This park was constructed on 12 acre land. A huge amount of Swarna Jayanti Rojgar Yojona was spent for its construction and according to the government guidelines the panchayat samities have much right over this fund. Apart from this, the park was constructed under our jurisdiction. So we demanded to be the revenue authority of the park.”
On the other hand the sabhadhipati of North Dianjpur zillaparishad Mrs Jyotsnarani Singh said: “A bulk amount from the zillaparishad was spent to construct this park.”
The district magistrate of North Dinajpur Mr Sukumar Bhattacharjee said: “At present there is no tussle between the zillaprishad and panchayat samity over the right of the park. However, an attempt has been initiated to open it for the visitors very soon.”

RAIGANJ,April. 16: North Dinajpur election department has failed to provide Epic to more than 60,000 voters who will cast votes in the upcoming panchayat elections. Under these circumstances a section of voters whose names were in electoral roles are concerned.
On the other hand a good number of Epic cards still need corrections. If the cards remain uncorrected the voters will face difficulties to cast their votes. One of the Additional District Magistrates of North Dinajpur district Mr Jaideb Saha who is looking after the election department of the district said: “We could not provide Epic cards to around five per cent of voters out of a total 12,09,952 whose names were in electoral roll in panchayat election . On the other hand some distributed Epic cards needed correction.”