West Bengal: Violent clashes erupt in Basirhat as BJP leader and workers stopped en route to Sandeshkhali
Basirhat turned into a war zone on Tuesday as stones were hurled at police, and major ruckus prevailed in front of the Superintendent of Police's office in Basirhat when BJP State President Sukanta Majumdar and BJP workers were stopped on their way to Sandeshkhali, leading to clashes between BJP members and police. Meanwhile, protests erupted across the state by the Left, and a Congress delegation was stopped on their way to Sandeshkhali in Dhamakhali.
Police resorted to lathi charges and lobbed tear gas shells to bring the situation under control after stones were hurled, and chaos ensued amid BJP workers breaking barricades. Clashes broke out between police and BJP supporters several times as BJP workers led by Majumdar attempted to break prohibitory orders near the SP's office in Basirhat amidst protests by the saffron party over alleged assaults and harassment of women in the Sandeshkhali block.
Majumdar stated, «The attack was pre-planned. It was orchestrated by the police to injure me and attack us. We had written a letter to the Police Superintendent about our apprehensions of an attack. But the Police did not pay any heed to it.»
Majumdar sat with BJP workers in a sit-in protest when he was not allowed to proceed towards the Basirhat SP’s office. Some BJP workers were reportedly arrested during the chaos, and some were injured during the ruckus, sources said.
Section 144 was also imposed in the area near the SP’s office in Basirhat ahead of the proposed agitation program by the BJP.
Meanwhile, a
