Maheshtala & Nadial: Cops injured, vehicles vandalised in clashes

Kolkata: Police were attacked and many vehicles were vandalised in the Rabindranagar area in Maheshtala and Nadial area in Kolkata on Wednesday over a clash between two groups over a temporary fruit stall set up.

Later in the evening, prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) were imposed in the Rabindranagar area. At the time of filing this report, five cops of the state police sustained minor injuries and four persons were arrested by Rabindranagar Police Station. This apart, several police personnel of Kolkata Police sustained minor and critical injuries, including Deputy Commissioner (DC), Port Division, Harikrishna Pai.

According to sources, a clash broke out between two groups of people near the Rabindranagar Police Station under the Diamond Harbour Police District. It is alleged that a scuffle between the two groups of people quickly escalated into a clash. When police tried to intervene and stop the clash, cops were attacked.

Stones and brickbats were pelted at the cops while several police vehicles were vandalised. A motorcycle was torched in front of the Rabindranagar Police Station. Initially, police had to move back as they were outnumbered. Later a large contingent of police force, including Rapid Action Force (RAF),

was deployed. After several hours of police action, the situation in the area was brought under control by evening. Meanwhile, the hostile situation escalated in the nearby Nadial area under the Kolkata Police’s jurisdiction. Several police personnel were injured due to stone pelting by the violent mob. Also multiple police vehicles were vandalised. Senior officers, including Additional Director General (ADG), South Bengal, Supratim Sarkar and Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Presidency Range, Akash Magharia went to the spot. Till last reports came in, several senior officers are still camping there and police patrolling is on.

In the evening, Commissioner of Police (CP), Kolkata, Manoj Kumar Verma visited Nadial area and took stock of the situation. This apart senior police officers of Kolkata Police including Joint CP, Crime, Rupesh Kumar had been to Nadial. Several people have been detained in connection with the incident.

Condemning the incident, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said: “Whatever happened is unfortunate. We are condemning it. Several police personnel were injured but police behaved in a responsible manner so that the situation does not aggravate. Police are working on the issue. Giving provocative statement in such a situation is not right. I request the Opposition leader to cooperate with the police rather than doing any politics.”