Violent clashes in WB over Covid-19 quarantine centre

A man was killed and another injured in a violent clash which broke out between two groups of villagers at Parui in Birbhum of West Bengal on Saturday night over arrangements to open a quarantine centre for the

Covid-19 pandemic. The victim was identified as Shyam Babu Sheikh (45), said superintendent of police (Birbhum), Shyam Singh. The injured, Saifuddin (21), has been admitted to a district hospital with bullet injuries on his right leg.

In the wake of the Covid19 pandemic, the Birbhum district administration decided to open quarantine centres at more than

200 educational institutions. Talibpur high school at Bonshonka gram panchayat in suri block II was one of them. But a section of villagers were against the opening of a quarantine centre there.

On Saturday evening, gram panchayat head, Moriram Das, along with policemen of the Parui police station visited the village to discuss the plan with the people.

As soon as they left at the end of the meeting, a clash broke out between the villagers. While some of them were in favour of the quarantine centre, others opposed them. Blaming each other, both sides, with links with the

Trinamul Congress, hurled bombs and opened fire as well.

Shyam Babu died after he suffered bullet and splinter injuries. Bombs were hurled at his home as well. A shop was torched. Seven persons have been arrested by the police in connection with the clash.

Meanwhile, district administration officials in South 24 Parganas faced angry protests by the villagers at Bhangar on Sunday when they went to inspect Bamanghata high school where a quarantine centre has been planned.

Shouting slogans, the protesters locked the school and blocked the road, demanding that no quarantine centre should be allowed at the school. The team had to leave the area without inspection.

● SEVEN PERSONS have been arrested by the police in connection with the clash

● BOMBS WERE hurled and a shop was torched