Efforts to bring home people displaced from Nandigram after recent clashes suffered a setback on Thursday when Communist Party of India-Marxist activists allegedly beat up some of them, forcing at least 50 of them to go back to relief camp.
Authorities were bringing 150 people who had taken refuge along with several others at a make-shift tent behind the BDO's office ever since clashes erupted in trouble-torn Nandigram in the run up to the May 11 panchayat polls.
However, motorcycle borne CPI-M men allegedly beat six of them at Maheshpur near Satengabari and Gokulnagar, Trinamool Congress bloc president Abu Tayeb alleged.
Superintendent of Police S Panda said that he had been informed of the violence and he was looking into it.
The decision to send the people, who were displaced by the recent violence, home with police and Central Reserve Police Force escort was taken at a meeting convened by the district magistrate, the BDO and the affected people on Wednesday night, BDO Shantiram Gorai told newsmen.
CPI-M MP and chairman of the Haldia Development Authority Laxman Seth was on Wednesday heckled by BUPC activists at Bajkul when he was on his way to Patashpur to address a public gathering.