BJP demands deployment of central forces
Kolkata, June 11: Tension simmered in the Rabindranagar area near Kolkata on Wednesday as a violent clash between two groups spiralled into widespread unrest, leaving several police personnel injured and multiple vehicles vandalised, prompting heavy reinforcements and political fallout. Police said five people were injured in the clash while four were arrested.
The opposition BJP demanded deployment of central forces in the trouble-torn area, while the ruling TMC accused the saffron camp of politicising a local issue.
The violence, which erupted over the setting up of a shop in Maheshtala under Rabindranagar Police Station in South 24 Parganas district, quickly escalated, turning the area into a virtual battlefield. “Bricks were hurled from rooftops, tyres were set ablaze on the roads, and miscreants torched a motorbike in front of the police station. Several police vehicles were damaged, and at least one police personnel was left bleeding after being hit by a brick,” a police officer told reporters.
Eyewitnesses said chaos unfolded right outside the police station as protesters threw stones, leaving officers, including a woman constable, injured. Reinforcements from Kolkata and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) were rushed to the scene, and tear gas shells were fired to disperse the mob.
The unrest, which reportedly began on Tuesday over a dispute involving a shop, took a dangerous turn on Wednesday. Several police vehicles were ransacked, windows shattered, and the police appeared momentarily overwhelmed by the mob fury.
As the situation deteriorated, authorities imposed preventive measures under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and launched a crackdown to nab the rioters.
The Section empowers a District Magistrate or designated Executive Magistrate to issue urgent preventive orders to avert public nuisance or threats to public peace and safety. “Raids are presently underway, and additional personnel remain deployed. Several arrests were made,” another police officer said.
The West Bengal police later said normalcy had been restored, though the area continued to remain tense.
The incident sparked a strong political backlash with Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari staging a protest outside the West Bengal Police headquarters in Alipore, demanding the immediate deployment of central forces in the troubled area. (PTI)