Violence shrouds BJP's march, many cops injured; police van set on fire

KOLKATA: Roads around the iconic Howrah Station resembled a battleground on Tuesday with brickbats aimed at police personnel flying thick and fast. BJP agitators brought in by special trains for a protest march to the state Secretariat turned violent when they found roads leading to Nabanna barricaded by riot police.

The police had not permitted BJP to hold the rally allegedly organised by the spending of about Rs 11 crore. The ruling dispensation, Trinamool Congress (TMC) has termed it a 'flop show' and said this was a veiled attempt to destabilise Bengal during the festive season. The protesters also hurled glass bottles at police personnel, while some of them were seen lifting tree logs to chase security forces away.

About 20 police personnel suffered injuries in Howrah and Kolkata. Among them an Assistant Commissioner of Kolkata Police, and Additional OC, Jorabagan, have been hospitalised.

The Inspector in-Charge (I-C) of Jagachha police, was also injured. A Kolkata Police officer said: "There was no report of any serious injury to any protestors though several police personnel have suffered injuries."

In Santragachhi, the police were pelted with stones as they chased away the protesters. A police kiosk was damaged as the demonstrators were stopped from moving forward. Cops were forced to use water cannons and tear gas shells to disperse the violent mob and at places had to resort to lathi-charge to control the agitators. I-C Jagachha, Sitanath Chattaraj suffered an injury near his eyes. Around 80 BJP workers were arrested in Howrah. A Police Control Room (PCR) van was set on fire by the agitators at M G Road. Around 90 BJP workers were arrested. Till last reports came in, three cases were registered against BJP workers by the Kolkata Police.

Leader of Opposition in Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, BJP's Hooghly MP Locket Chatterjee and senior leader Rahul Sinha, were reportedly among those detained during the march.

The police stopped BJP leaders Suvendu Adhikari and Locket Chatterjee along with Rahul Sinha near the Police Training School (PTS), Kolkata from going to Santragachhi to lead the rally. Suvendu Adhikari took umbrage at policewomen trying to detain him amid the march, as he was heard shouting "don't touch me" on being taken to a police van.

"Don't touch me... you are a woman," he said as some female police personnel were trying to escort him to the van. Asserting that he was a "law-abiding citizen", Adhikari demanded that male police officers be called for speaking to him. Adhikari was thereafter escorted to the police vehicle by DCP (South) Akash Magharia. People who were not part of the rally were greatly inconvenienced. Commuters who came by train had to walk to reach their destination as mayhem spread in areas where the rally passed through.

"I had come here to buy electrical goods for my shop in Serampore without knowing that protests here would become so violent... My pocket has been picked, my eyes are stinging due to tear gas and I have somehow managed to escape being lathi-charged. I want to forget this day and just get back home," said the owner of the shop in a sombre tone. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh alleged that the BJP was fomenting trouble under the garb of protest.

"It is part of a bigger game plan to destabilise West Bengal this festive season. This is not democratic movement. This is goondaism," he added.Adhikari and other BJP leaders were released on personal bond in the evening as directed by the High Court after a lawyer filed a petition seeking its intervention in this regard. Meanwhile, confusion was created amid the march when its senior leader Dilip Ghosh, who was leading one of the processions, announced Nabanna rally is over following a clash between the police and party workers, and left the place. The BJP national vice-president made the statement when the police stopped the procession, which was moving towards Nabanna, near the Rabindra Setuaround 2.30 pm. The High Court reportedly directed the state Home Secretary to submit a report by September 19 over the allegations made by the BJP that its supporters were forcibly prevented from attending the rally.