Four persons were arrested on Saturday night following a violent clash between supporters of Narendra Modi's rally-bound BJP and activists of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in north Kolkata’s Girish Park area, around half an hour before the Prime Minister addressed a gathering at the Brigade Parade Ground.
According to police, the clash broke out when BJP activists, who were heading towards the rally venue, allegedly got into an altercation with TMC supporters over the tearing of flex banners that urged voters not to support the BJP in the upcoming Assembly elections.
The argument soon escalated into stone-throwing between the two groups. The TMC alleged that BJP supporters launched an unprovoked attack on their workers and hurled stones at the residence of state cabinet minister Shashi Panja, who was present at the time along with several party activists.
The party claimed that Panja and several others sustained injuries in the incident. The BJP, however, denied the allegations and accused the ruling party of orchestrating the attack on its supporters who were on their way to attend the Prime Minister’s rally.
Without attributing blame to either side, a senior police official confirmed that eight people, including a police personnel, were injured during the clash.
“Four people have been arrested so far, and raids are underway to identify and apprehend others involved in the violence,” the officer said. A suo motu case has been registered at the Girish Park Police Station in connection with the incident.
Police said the case has been filed under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with provisions of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and the West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order Act.
The police added that no formal complaint has been lodged by either political party so far, though the investigation into the incident is ongoing. Meanwhile, Panja said she would soon file an FIR against those who allegedly vandalised her official residence. She further alleged that the attack was part of a “planned conspiracy” aimed at killing her and intimidating TMC supporters.
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