One dead, 6 cops injured in Bengal communal clashes
The fallout of Ram Navami processions in West Bengal rocked Raniganj, 200 km northwest of Kolkata on Monday as communal clashes erupted leaving a VHP supporter dead and six policemen injured while the ruling Trinamool Congress and the opposition BJP continued to trade charges.
Deputy commissioner of Asansol Durgapur, Arindam Dutta Choudhury sustained serious injuries in his right hand when a bomb was thrown at him in Raniganj in West Burdwan district. He was rushed to a hospital for surgery. Doctors said the police officer suffered multiple fractures and critical muscle injury in his right forearm.
RSS south Bengal general secretary Jishu Basu said in the evening that Chhote Yadav, 35, a Vishwa Hindu Parishad worker was killed in the clash. The police, however, did not confirm the death.
Ranigunj mayor and Trinamool leader Jitendra Tiwari said some groups were spreading rumours and appealed for calm. “Please don’t believe whatever people tell you. The administration is trying its best to control the situation,” Tiwari said.
Five other policemen were also injured when they were attacked as they rushed to break up a fight. Police vehicles were damaged in the clash. “The situation in now under control,” said Laxmi Narayan Meena, police commissioner of Asansol Durgapur.
Hindutva groups insist that they were attacked first. “A clash broke out when Muslims attacked the procession organised by Bajrang Dal and associate groups on Monday. Bombs and stones were hurled at us,” said Sourish Mukherjee, spokesperson of the VHP.
Clashes also broke out between the police and Hindutva supporters in Kandi where police caned a group of people in a procession after they attacked the Kandi police station .
“Some TMC supporters carrying weapons entered the procession and when the rally reached a point in front of the police station, they began throwing stones, triggering caning by the police,” said BJP leader Iman Kalyan Mukherjee. Trinamool MLA Apurba Sarkar, however, said no TMC supporter was part of the march.
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