In an escalation of post-election violence, two police personnel, including the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Najat Police Station, were shot at while attempting to control a clash between rival groups in the Basirhat subdivision of North 24 Parganas late on Tuesday night.
The injured officer, identified as Bharat Prasun Kar, along with a constable, came under fire in the Rajbari area when miscreants allegedly opened fire from inside a nearby house. The OC sustained a bullet injury to his leg, while the constable was also wounded. Both were rescued in a critical condition and rushed to Chittaranjan Hospital in Kolkata for treatment.
According to local sources, the violence erupted as a large-scale clash involving heavy stone-pelting and crude bomb attacks broke out between the supporters of the TMC and the BJP. Acting on the information, the OC had reached the spot with a police contingent when the attack occurred.
A tense atmosphere continues to prevail in the area, with police launching search operations to apprehend those responsible. Unconfirmed reports suggest that more individuals may have been injured in the firing, though no official details have been released.
The incident comes in the backdrop of widespread unrest following the announcement of the election results on Monday. Sporadic violence has been reported across multiple regions, including fatalities in Newtown and Beliaghata, where a BJP worker and a TMC worker lost their lives, respectively.
Incidents of vandalism targeting TMC offices have also surfaced across the state, with clashes reported in districts such as Birbhum.
Meanwhile, in Howrah, former TMC Shyamal Mitra was allegedly assaulted. A video of the incident, which has gone viral, shows him being surrounded and beaten by a group of individuals. He was later seen lying injured on the street. The motive behind the attack remains unclear, though local sources attribute it to an ongoing dispute between rival groups.
The incident has triggered tension in the locality, with the TMC strongly condemning the attack and demanding immediate arrests. “Such attacks on a public representative cannot be tolerated. The culprits must be arrested immediately. The administration must act impartially,” a party leader stated.
On the other hand, BJP leaders have reiterated calls for peace, even prior to the declaration of results. However, violence has persisted across several pockets.
Amid rising tensions, the Election Commission has once again issued a stern warning, asserting that any form of post-poll violence will not be tolerated.
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