Nandigram, Mar 07: A CPI-M leader was allegedly beaten up today by members of a Trinamool Congress-backed body at Nandigram, where tension prevailed over yesterday's incident of police firing.

Nandigram gram panchayat pradhan Ashok Bera was stopped and assaulted by members of the Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee at Maheshpur, East Midnapore's Superintendent of Police G Niwas said.

Police had yesterday fired two rounds in the air to quell a mob of women members of the committee who tried to attack camps where CPI-M supporters are staying.

The women alleged that arms were stockpiled in the camps housing CPI-M supporters who fled their homes after violence sparked by rumours about the acquisition of land for a SEZ at Nandigram. The women gathered at Tekhali Bazar to launch an attack on the camps, CPI legislator Iliyas Mohammad alleged.

Police said two rounds were fired to disperse the women. And no one was injured in the action.

The situation in the area was tense, they said.

Six persons were killed in violence at Nandigram on January seven and an intelligence officer was killed there by a mob exactly a month later. Zee NEWS