Hanuman Jayanti rallyists clash with police in Bengal

BJP supporters broke police barricades and indulged in a scuffle after cops stopped them from organising a procession to celebrate Hanuman Jayanti at Suri in Birbhum for not having proper permission to hold the rally.

Trouble began at around 11 am when the rally, brought out on the streets of the district headquarters Suri, with the participants carrying saffron flags, was stopped by police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel near the Barabagan area, sparking trouble.

Stating that permission for any such rallies had not been given, the district police said they were forced to intervene when the participants tried to enter the "sensitive areas of the town". The rallyists alleged that the cops resorted to baton charge without any provocation to control the situation. However, the police refuted the allegation of lathicharge and said the BJP supporters were chased away. The police alleged that two civic volunteers were taken by some BJP supporters to their office and beaten up. As the situation went out of control, police chased away the BJP workers. The police took extra precaution as it had prior information that the BJP supporters could sport arms like the recent Ram Navami rally. Dilip Ghosh, state BJP president, said there was no need to take permission. He alleged that "Trinamool government has established a Taliban regime in Bengal." Another rally to celebrate Hanuman Jayanti was taken out in Howrah where Trinamool Congress minister Laxmi Ratan Shukla and MLA Baisakhi Dalmiya participated. The rally started at Sai Baba temple and ended at Hanuman temple. Anubrata Mondol, Trinamool Congress president of Birbhum district said the BJP was trying to create trouble to defame Trinamool government.