A sub-inspector of was killed in broad daylight in Kolkata on Tuesday when violence broke out in the Garden Reach area over the filing of nomination papers for a local college election.
Tapas Chowdhury, a sub-inspector associated with Special Branch of the city police was shot at from close range.
“There were clashes between two groups as a result of which bullets were fired and bombs hurled. A sub- inspector was injured and now we have learnt that he has succumbed to his injuries,” V S Nesakumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Port Division told journalists.
When asked about who were involved in the violence, he said that the clashes were between Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad ( the student wing of Trinamool Congress) and Chhatra Parishad ( the student wing of Congress) who are contesting the elections.
Soon after the incident a large contingent of police was deployed outside Harimohan Ghose College. There were reports of at least two locals having sustained injuries in the violence.
State’s Urban Development Minister and local MLA Firhad Hakim said that anti-social elements associated with the Congress were responsible for the firing. He denied that violence broke out as a result of clashes between two student groups.
Two persons were arrested, Mr Hakim said, adding that administration will take strong action in this incident.
State Congress president Pradip Bhattacharya denied the allegations and said that there were attempts to involve the Congress without any basis. Mr Bhattacharya said that the incident reflects the deteriorating law and order situation in the State and demanded intervention of the Centre in this regard.
Central Committee member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Md Salim said that the trouble was brewing in the area over last few days. He alleged that some persons associated to the TMCP were injured while making bombs on Monday.
