As the tribal agitation in Jhargram over the November 2 Salbani blast entered its 19th day, the state Congress requested AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi to visit the area and see how the “tribals were being tortured by the police and CPM cadres”.

In a letter to Gandhi, Congress Legislature Party leader Manas Bhuniya appealed to him to send a high-powered team to the trouble-torn Lalgarh before his visit. The team should mostly comprise leaders from the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, the letter stated.

Earlier, Gandhi had sought a report on Lalgarh situation,

Bhuniya said. Giving details of the alleged torture and police atrocities on tribals in the area after the blast in chief minister’s convoy, Bhuniya had requested him to raise the issue in Parliament to expose the “true face of the CPM”.

He claimed that even after nearly three weeks since the agitation begun, no action has been taken against any police officer.

“The Congress will launch a 36-hour sit-in demonstration in front of the Lalgarh police station on Wednesday,” he said. On Monday, a youth Congress delegation had met the protestors at Lalgarh, including the women who were tortured by the police.