Kolkata: Ransacking of houses of "corrupt" ration dealers continued in West Bengal today while eight villagers were beaten up and injured by CPI-M activists today, as the state government blamed the violence on a "deep-rooted conspiracy."

A mob ransacked and burnt the house of a ration dealer at Panchgram village and when the police went to the village, the protesters set fire to police jeeps and pelted stones on them, injuring some policemen. The police then fired in the air to disperse the mob, Murshidabad District Magistrate Subir Bhadra told PTI.

Eight people of Tinbigha village in Burdwan district were injured in an attack by CPI-M workers after the villagers argued with a dealer over compensation for non-distribution of ration.

Superintendent of Police Piyush Pandey said hundreds of villagers gathered in front of the dealer Bablu Chowdhury's house demanding Rs 1000 each to ration card holders. Chowdhury agreed to pay Rs 500, but they did not accept it.

Soon CPI-M supporters arrived brandishing sharp weapons and beat up the villagers, injuring eight of them, he said. Male residents have fled the area, where the cops have posted a picket after the incident, Pandey said.

In Nadia district, a mob ransacked the house and godown of dealer Samar Basu at Meheshganj and looted rice and kerosene, police said. A relative of Basu was also beaten up. When policemen reached, the mob brick-batted them injuring four.

Local people said policemen then lathicharged them in which six were injured. However, it was not confirmed by the police. Four persons were arrested, sources said.