Tension gripped Jagatdal late on Saturday night as a violent clash erupted inside the premises of the Jagatdal Police Station, North 24 Parganas, with activists of the TMC and the BJP engaging in a fierce confrontation in full view of police personnel. At the centre of the clash was Arjun Singh, the BJP candidate from Noapara, who was seen allegedly engaging in a physical altercation right under the noses of the police. Eyewitnesses said that bricks were hurled during the clash, while even Central Forces present at the scene initially struggled to bring the situation under control.
According to BJP sources, the incident stemmed from a complaint lodged against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. BJP candidate Rajesh Kumar had reportedly arrived at the police station around 10:00 pm to collect a file copy related to the case. While he was in the process of completing formalities, local TMC leaders, including Manoj Pandey and Sourav Singh, allegedly entered the premises along with their supporters.
Reports suggest that news of the BJP candidate being gheraoed quickly reached Singh, who soon arrived at the police station with his own supporters. Eyewitnesses said that Singh appeared visibly agitated upon arrival and immediately confronted the TMC. The confrontation rapidly escalated into a violent scuffle inside the police station, with both sides allegedly resorting to physical assault, including kicks, punches, and verbal abuse.
Police officers present at the scene were left stunned as members of rival political parties breached the station’s security cordon and engaged in open violence. Despite repeated attempts by the police to separate the groups, the situation spiralled out of control, necessitating the deployment of additional reinforcements to restore order. Authorities were seen making efforts to physically remove members of both factions from the premises.
Amid the chaos, allegations also emerged of gunfire near the residence of Bhatpara MLA Pavan Singh. During this incident, a Central Forces jawan, deployed as part of the security for the outgoing MLA, sustained a gunshot injury to his left leg. He was rushed to a private hospital along the EM Bypass in Kolkata.
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