Six hurt in Charu Market violence

Kolkata: Two groups of residents from two neighbourhoods kept clashing from Monday night till Tuesday afternoon, leaving six persons, including a police officer injured. Trinamul Congress MLA of Rasbehari constituency and power minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay visited the spot at Jhalar Math to reign in the situation. Four persons were arrested by the police.

Mr Chattopadhyay blamed the police for failing to restore peace in the area. Trouble broke at around 11.40 pm on Monday when some youths of Dompara, who were consuming liquor beside the railway tracks, broke into a fight with some other youths who allegedly abused them.

“Bricks and stones were hurled on the wedding venue from the railway tracks. The wedding venue was damaged. This created a repercussion,” said Mr Chattopadhyay. Residents of the two localities, one falling under the Charu Market police station area, and the other under the Tollygunge police station, clashed on the road. Cops from the two police stations rushed to the spot to disperse the fighting groups.

The area was on the boil once again from Tuesday morning as both sides fought a pitched battle till afternoon. Heavy police contingent including rapid action force was deployed to tackle the clash. Deputy commissioner of police (south) Praveen Tripathy visited the spot.

Five locals, Bishal Sarkar (23), Ajoy Dum (23), Chandan Mullick (18), Sagar Mallick (24) and Tapan Bairagi (40) were injured. Most of them, belonging to Tollygunge Road, suffered head injuries. Assistant sub inspector Bivas Saha of the Tollygunge police station was also injured. All the injured were released from M.R. Bangur Hospital after being provided with first-aid. A police picket has been posted in the area.

Mr Chattopadhyay said, “The local police did not take any step despite repeated complaints earlier. Why did the police not take a step in the beginning? Why was there no force? The police should have its intelligence. But it was missing.”