2 killed, 1 injured as rival groups clash in Gangarampur

BALURGHAT: Two persons were killed and one injured when two conflicting groups were involved in a violent clash, opening fire rampantly and attacking each other with sharp weapons over the issue of profit sharing after organising Kali Puja and Baul Utsab. The incident took place in the Jainagar intersection of Thangapara under Gangarampur police station in South Dinajpur on Monday night.

Poritosh Bhowmik (50) and Saidur Rahman (48) succumbed to their injuries immediately after reaching Gangarampur Sub-Divisional Hospital, while the condition of Sanjay Sarkar who received bullet injuries is stated to be critical. Police said Bhowmik received bullet injuries and Rahman received multiple injuries by a sharp weapon during the scuffle.

According to police sources, the locals had organised Kali Puja and Baul Utsab at Jainagar from January 19 to 24, where the organisers earned a good profit from subscriptions and donations.

On Monday night, the organisers had placed the balance-sheet before the other members, when suddenly the two groups of the Puja committee got involved in an altercation, which later turned into a violent clash.

Police from Gangarampur police station led by sub-divisional police officer Bipul Banerjee reached the spot, after being intimated by the locals and sent the heavily injured Bhowmik, Rahman and Sarkar to the hospital, where the doctors declared Bhowmik and Rahman brought dead.

Police said the duo belonged to two groups while Sarkar is a local Gram Panchayat member of Nandanpur. A probe has been initiated in this connection, but no one has been arrested so far.