CPI-ML activists take out a rally in protest against the clash at Gandey. Pix: Shahanwaz Akhtar

Giridih, May 23: Hundreds of CPI-ML supporters today marched to the district collectorate office, shouting slogans against Giridih police, for safeguarding blackmarketers and JVM leaders and implicating CPI-ML leaders in false cases.

"Giridih police kalabazario aur JVM netaon ko sanrakshan dena bandh karo aur maale netaon ko jhuthe mukaddamon mein phasana bandh karo (Giridih police do not give protection to blackmarketers and JVM leaders and stop implicating ML leaders in fake cases)," was their agenda.

The rally was a fallout of the clashes at Gandey, that took place yesterday, after some villagers and political leaders clashed with CPI-ML leaders over the blackmarketing of foodgrains. At least seven persons, including two CPI-ML leaders and five villagers, were injured in the clash.

Later, Gandey police are reported to have recovered two pistols and six bombs from the CPI-ML's Gandey office. The police also arrested three CPI-ML leaders.

Several CPI-ML leaders including Bagoder MLA Vinod Singh, Rajkumar Yadav, Ibnul Hasan Basru, Rajesh Yadav and Satyanarayan were present in the rally.

Before the protest march, Singh, reacting on the entire episode, vehemently criticised the role of the police and administration for protecting the black marketers.

"Yesterday's incident was not unexpected as in the last two or three months our leaders and cadres were checking the blackmarketers of foodgrains. Not only the people who are involved in it were in panic but those who gave them protection were also planning to implicate us in fake cases", Vinod told reporters.

"In fact, when for the first time the clash took place around 11.30 am I was the first one to inform the police superintendent about the incident," Singh said. Significantly, for the past one year, CPI-ML had opened a war against blackmarketers in Giridih district and in recent times it had gathered momentum as several such cases came to the fore in different parts of the district.

Singh also alleged that the police, along with blackmarketers and political leaders, were collectively trying to suppress CPI-ML's war against blackmarketers. Vinod Singh, the son of assassinated leader Mahendra Singh, also accused the CBI of not doing "justice" to his father's murder probe.

"It has been almost three years since the CBI has been investigating the case, but neither has it submitted a report nor could it arrest anybody," said the CPI(ML) MLA. He, in fact, accused the premier investigating agency of being under severe political pressure as far as this investigation is concerned. However, he refused to clarify who or what was pressurising the CBI.