| Sona Chura | |
| Settlement Type: | Village |
| Pushpin Map: | India West Bengal#India |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in West Bengal, India |
| Coordinates: | 21.9021°N 87.9647°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  India |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | West Bengal |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Purba Medinipur |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Elevation M: | 7 |
| Population Total: | 5,736 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Languages |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Official |
| Demographics1 Info1: | Bengali, English |
| Timezone1: | IST |
| Utc Offset1: | +5:30 |
| Postal Code: | 721 646 (Tekhalibazar) |
| Area Code: | 03224 |
| Registration Plate: | WB |
Sona Chura is a village and a Gram panchayat in Nandigram I CD Block in Purba Medinipur district in the Indian state of West Bengal.
See main article: article and Nandigram violence. Sona Chura was one of the six gram panchayats mentioned in the notification issued for land acquisition of a proposed chemical hub in 2006. Protests led by Bhumi Uchhed Pratirodh Committee snowballed into a major movement and repression followed. Amongst the other affected areas were: Bhangabera, Saudkhali, Maheshpur, Gokulnagar and Adhikaripara. The location of the proposed chemical hub was later shifted to Nayachar and the proposal was finally scrapped.[1] [2] [3] [4]
Sona Chura is located at 21.9021°N 87.9647°W.
Nandigram Andolan Sahid Smarane is a 130 ft tower that stands as a memorial to those who lost their lives at Sona Chura in 2007. It was built by Bhumi Uchhed Pratirodh Committee in 2014. There are pictures of 21 people who died, 14 of them died on 14 March 2007 when police fired upon a procession headed for Nandigram from Sona Chura, 15 km away. Another 10 people disappeared from Tekhali.[5]
The Bhangabera Bridge, across the Talpati canal, near Sona Chura (3.3 km away), is located at 21.8914°N 87.9708°W.[6] Talpati is a drainage canal which allows river waters to come inwards at times of tides and floods and helps in irrigation.[7] Talpati canal served as a ‘boundary’ between Nandigram I and Khejuri II CD Blocks. When the two CD Blocks were under control of two opposing forces – Khejuri under CPI (M) and Nandigram under Trinamool Congress, Bhangabera Bridge formed a sort of a check point with flags of the two political parties fluttering on either side.[8]
79.19% of the population of Haldia subdivision live in the rural areas. Only 20.81% of the population live in the urban areas, and that is the highest proportion of urban population amongst the four subdivisions in Purba Medinipur district.[9]
Note: The map above presents some of the notable locations in the subdivision. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.
As per the 2011 Census of India Sona Chura had a total population of 5,736. There were 2,974 (52%) males and 2,762 (48%) females. Population below 6 years was 736. The number of literates were 4,239 (84.78% of the population above 6 years.[10]