Police station attacked in Bengal violence

: Shops were ransacked and a police station was attacked in two separate incidents in West Bengal on Wednesday.

In one incident, several homes and shops were burnt and ransacked following a violent altercation among two groups on Wednesday in Ghoshpara area under Ravindranagar police station in South 24 Parganas district.

Stating that it was not a communal clash, South 24 Parganas district Superintendent of Police Praveen Kumar Tripathi said shops were ransacked on Wednesday following an accident in the area late on Tuesday night. Section 144 is imposed in the area, Mr. Tripathi said.

“An accident occurred yesterday [Tuesday] killing one person and injuring another. Locals claimed that it was due to shops illegally encroaching on the road. Some locals blocked the road and vandalised the shops in the area,” he said.

While local councillor Abu Talem Mollah allegedly instigated the violence, Mr. Tripathi said Mr. Mollah was trying to pacify the mob.

In another incident, Murutia police station in Nadia district was attacked by “unknown miscreants”.

“Some unknown miscreants attacked Murutia police station in the morning, protesting against an old case of alleged forcible land acquisition. No one was injured and minor property of the station was damaged. No one has been arrested,” Nadia district Superintendent of Police Arnab Ghosh said.