The incident, which occurred in Maheshtala under the Rabindranagar police station area, stemmed from a dispute over the construction of a shop and alleged encroachment on government land
The police out in full force at Rabindranagar. Pic/PTI
Forty people have been arrested in connection with a violent clash between two groups in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district, which left several police personnel injured and prompted the administration to impose prohibitory orders, an officer said on Thursday.
The incident, which occurred in Maheshtala under the Rabindranagar police station area, stemmed from a dispute over the construction of a shop and alleged encroachment on government land. The unrest quickly spiralled, resulting in vandalism, along with multiple vehicles being torched. Additional forces were deployed to bring the situation under control.
A vehicle set on fire following the violence on Wednesday. Pic/ANI
“A clash between two groups occurred Wednesday afternoon in Rabindra Nagar PS area and adjacent areas of Nadial PS over an illegal construction and consequent plantation on govt land without any permission and replacement of an existing shop in the process, resulting in brick batting at police and isolated vandalism in the vicinity,” the police said.
The police resorted to “necessary use of force and dispersed the crowd”, they said. “A total of 40 people have been arrested so far in seven cases registered over the incident. None of those who have indulged in violence will be spared,” the police said. The situation is “now peaceful and under control”, a senior police officer said.
“Prohibitory orders under Section 163 of BNSS have been imposed in Rabindra Nagar PS area in the interest of peace. Representatives of all political parties or groups are advised not to visit the area till 163 BNSS is in place,” police said.
LoP stages protest
The incident sparked a strong political backlash with Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari staging a protest outside the police headquarters in Alipore, demanding the immediate deployment of central forces in the troubled area.
“The Hindu community in Rabindranagar has been subjected to looting, arson, and violence for hours while the police watched silently. Several police vehicles were set on fire, yet there was no effective intervention,” Adhikari alleged.
“Despite such grave attacks on police, the top brass seems indifferent. I will move Calcutta High Court tomorrow seeking urgent intervention and central forces, as ordered earlier during communal tension in Murshidabad,” the BJP leader said.
Chaos in Assembly
BJP MLAs staged a walk-out from the West Bengal Assembly on Thursday after the Speaker refused to admit adjournment motions moved by them over violence in Murshidabad and Maheshtala. LoP Adhikari moved the adjournment motion on Murshidabad violence, while his party colleague Puna Bhengra moved another motion on the recent violence and group clashes in Maheshtala. The Speaker rejected both the motions.
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