BJP's march to Bengal secretariat takes violent turn; Suvendu stages sit-in

Violence broke out in different parts of Kolkata adjacent Howrah district, especially at the Santragachi area, following clashes between police and BJP supporters, over the latter's march to the West Bengal secretariat against corruption issues on Tuesday.

Tension gripped the area as the second arm of the marching BJP supporters, led by the state BJP president in West Bengal and party MP, Sukanta Majumdar and BJP legislator, Agnimitra Paul started moving towards the state secretariat of Nabanna from Santragachi on the Howrah side.

Huge police contingent deployed there stopped the marching BJP supporters. The police resorted to baton charging and water-cannons to disperse the agitated BJP supporters, who retaliated with brickbats and bamboo poles. Finally, the police resorted to firing of teargas shells to dispel the mob.

Being stopped from progressing further, Sukanta Majumdar and Agnimitra Pual immediately sat down on the streets along with their supporters near Howrah Maidan and started a sit- in demonstration. Both alleged that the police, along with ruling Trinamool Congress activists, resorted to unprovoked attacks on their supporters. Later, Sukanta Majumdar was also put in the prison van.

Separate clashes were reported between the BJP supporters and the police forces at the Santragachi railway station. The saffron wing activists started picking up stones from the railway tracks pelting towards the police. The police also resorted to baton charges and teargas shell firing to control the violent mob. Some of the police personnel were also injured in the clashes.

Following the clashes, the traffic at the adjacent Kona Expressway got totally disrupted, with a large number of vehicles, including some ambulances ferrying critical patients, got stranded.

Trinamool Congress state general secretary and the party spokesman, Kunal Ghosh said the BJP leaders and workers deliberately attacked the police personnel. "The BJP leaders know that they lack mass base and support in West Bengal. So, they are trying to attract attention through such violent tactics," he said.

Sukanta Majumdar said that the police had started actions against BJP workers across the state from early Tuesday morning much before the beginning of the rally. "Many of our supporters were not even allowed to board the trains coming to Kolkata this morning," he alleged.

--IANS

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