Police need to show more restrain, says Partha after scuffle in rally

Kolkata: Hours after a masked mob brutally attacked students and professors of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), tension erupted at Sulekha More in Jadavpur area after the police intercepted three rallies taken out by students of Jadavpur University (JU), Left and BJP at the same time.

Students of JU held a rally protesting against the brutal attack on their JNU peers. At the same time, rallies by BJP workers and the Left Front also passed through the same area.

Unfortunately, the rallies criss-crossed each other leading to a scuffle, in which some students were injured.

Reacting to the incident, state Education minister Partha Chatterjee said: "I strongly condemn this act and I also want to remind that the police should be more cautious and restrained in their behaviour while handling such protests. I, as the Education Minister, will inform the Chief Minister about the entire issue."

Meanwhile, BJP supporters burnt tyres and obstructed traffic movement in Sulekha More. It is alleged that CPM workers attacked the BJP supporters and burnt their party flags which led to a brawl between the workers of the two parties. Though police had put up guard rails to stop the rallies, none responded to the orders given by the cops. Soon the area became a battlefield. In order to stop CPM and BJP workers along with the JU students, police resorted to lathicharge and dispersed the mob.

After almost an hour, the situation was brought under control. Police suspecting possible deterioration of law and order situation urged the protesters and other political party workers to maintain peace and leave the place.

However, JU students alleged that the police attacked them without any provocation which the senior police officials denied. According to police, lathicharge was initiated to disperse the violent mob in order to stop the deterioration of law and order situation.