A day of sorrow and shame for W Bengal

In a strongly-worded statement assailing the political violence in the state, he said "today`s carnage in Lalgarh has by now claimed seven lives with more than a dozen seriously wounded. Not even mothers and daughters have been spared. For our state, it is a day or sorrow and shame".

"This has gone on for far too long. It is incumbnet upon the authorities to act decisively to preempt or quell attempts at violence, irrespective of the affiliations of the groups involved. A decisive stage has been reached for the government to act, before it becomes a point of no-return," Narayanan said.

"No democracy can allow such violence. No civilised society can tolerate such wanton disregard for human lives and no state can accept such mindless discord," he said.

Pointing out that for sometime now, reports have been appearing almost daily in the media about political violence in the state, Narayanan said "with unfailing regularity, each day begins and ends with news of political clashes in different areas of the state.

"Hardly a district remains unscarred by such conflicts. Khejuri, Nanoor, Sashan, Managalkote, Jhalda, Indas, Canning, Ketugram, Khanakul ... the circle of bloodshed has been expanding," he said.