People's Democracy

B Prasant

IN a dawn-time raid on the American Centre in Chowringhee Road, Kolkata, two unknown gunmen on motorcycles sprayed bullets from automatic weapons on security personnel and fled. Four policemen died on the spot and 12 were left with severe bullet injuries. The police are looking for the assassins.

A Dubai-based crime lord later telephoned the Kolkata Police claiming responsibility for the attack.

It was 6:30 in the morning and a shift was taking place in the police guard posted at the centre. Two men, their faces wrapped in shawls, approached the police post, took out AK 47 automatic rifles from under their shawls, and opened fire.

According to the Kolkata Police, the assassins fired more than 50 bullets. Four policemen of the 5th battalion of the Kolkata Armed Police died on the spot, and 12 were left seriously wounded. The attackers fled before the police could return the fire.

Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya told the media at the Writers Buildings that security in the city was further tightened soon after news of the attack came out. Bhattacharya spoke to union home minister L K Advani and conveyed the news of the incident. The Kolkata Police and the Bengal Police, said the chief minister, would jointly probe the incident.

State CPI(M) secretary Anil Biswas has condemned the attack and urged upon all democratic and patriotic people to stand firmly united against the agents of terror. (INN)