Reuters AlertNet Lite - Indian poor protest food theft, 30 injured

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Indian poor protest food theft, 30 injured

07 Oct 2007 10:56:46 GMT
Source: Reuters

KOLKATA, India, Oct 7 (Reuters) - At least 30 people were injured in eastern India on Sunday after hundreds of villagers clashed with police, accusing authorities of hoarding food stocks meant for the poor, officials and witnesses said.

Close to 200 people, including dozens of policemen, were injured in clashes last week in the communist-ruled state of West Bengal in protests against what locals say is a widespread graft in the government's public distribution system (PDS).

On Sunday, poor villagers set fire to a communist party office, a food godown and beat up some officials.

They alleged subsidised food meant for them was being diverted to regular markets and sold at huge premiums by corrupt officials.

"It happened suddenly, but now we have a massive police presence and have also arrested those who were involved in rioting," said Peeyush Pandey, district police chief of Burdwan, where the trouble broke out.

Dozens of PDS franchisees have surrendered their permits out of fear and police said they were investigating all allegations of hoarding.

At least two protesters have been killed in police firing and two PDS franchisees committed suicide this week after village councils imposed hefty fines on them and accused them of being a party to the alleged graft.

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Last updated:Sun Oct 7 10:57:01 2007