india

Updated: Jun 08, 2019 18:42 IST

BJP workers fought a pitched battle with police for three hours at Buniyadpur and Gangarampur in Bengal’s South Dinajpur district on Saturday afternoon when the authorities tried to stop two victory processions led by Bharatiya Janata Party state unit president and Midnapore MP Dilip Ghosh.

Sub-inspector Ribhu Bhattacharya sustained head injury and a woman civic volunteer’s leg was broken. Both were taken to Gangarampur hospital. Ghosh was whisked away to a safe place by BJP workers as tension rose and more police were deployed to tackle the situation. Several BJP workers were also injured in baton charge by the police. Police also lobbed teargas shells to disperse the crowd.

BJP workers were seen showering brickbats on the police force and chasing the men in uniform with sticks. They also damaged a number of police vehicles. Ghosh alleged that the police were accompanied by Trinamool Congress workers who triggered the clash by attacking his men first. The unrest prevailed for almost three hours. The situation came under control after 2 pm. Around 20 BJP workers were rounded up.

BJP organised the processions despite chief minister Mamata Banerjee imposing a ban on victory processions and the local police invoking prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC.

Also read: Bengal violence continues as Mamata hits out at BJP

Banerjee announced the ban on June 6 saying these were being organised to spread unrest across Bengal. On that day Ghosh reacted by saying the state government cannot impose such a blanket ban.

“TMC and police attacked our procession. The police could have easily let us pass but stopped the procession to provoke violence,” Ghosh alleged on Saturday. He named the programme Abhinandan Yatra.

“This is all planned. First they (BJP) will create trouble and then blame us for a deteriorating law and order situation and finally demand imposition of Central rule under Article 356 of the Constitution. Since they are in power at the Centre they think they can do anything. Some people voted for them but they are surely scared now,” said urban development minister and Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim.