At least 16 police personnel, including senior police officials, were injured in West Bengal’s Hooghly district as clashes erupted on Wednesday between the police and the locals protesting against the murder of Congress leader Dilip Paswan on Tuesday.
“Several police personnel including senior officials of the district were injured when the police tried to remove the blockade. The protestors started pelting stones and clashed with the police. 22 persons have been arrested in this connection,” District Superintendent of Police Tanmay Roy Chowdhury said.
He said that some anti-social elements were in the crowd which had put up the road blockade and their attempt was to disrupt the investigations in connection with the murder.
Mr. Paswan was shot dead on Tuesday by unidentified persons in the Bandel Station Road area. Locals put up a road blockade in the morning demanding the arrest of his assailants.
A pitched battle ensued when the police tried to disperse the agitators. The police had to resort to baton charge and fired tear gas shells. A police vehicle was set on fire by the agitators.
Senior State Congress leader and chairman of the media committee of the party, Abdul Mannan questioned the role of the police in the incident.
Mr. Mannan said that the blockade put up by locals was a spontaneous reaction to the murder of a popular leader and the Congress leaders were trying to control the situation when police intervened.
