Kolkata: Two persons, including a boy, were killed, while seven others, including a cop, were injured during a violent clash between two groups of Trinamul Congress supporters over taking control of a local fair for the tribals at Basanti in South 24 Parganas on Thursday night. The victims were Riazul Mollah (9) and Hassan Laskar (35), a Trinamul worker. Both fell prey to bullets.
Riazul was a Class 4 student of Hetalkhali Primary School. In the afternoon when he was walking home from school, he was caught in the crossfire at Hetalkhali near Charvidya where the rival factions of the ruling party were engaged in an armed ambush.
Apart from exchanging fire between themselves the accused also hurled bombs. With bullet injuries in chest Riazul was declared brought dead at Canning Sub Divison Hospital. Hassan belonged to one of the warring groups. He lost his life during the brazen clash. When the police rushed to the spot, they also came under attack. Baneshwar Singha, a cop of the Basanti police station, suffered bullet injuries.
He has been admitted to a hospital alongwith six villagers. Later heavy reinforcements were sent to bring the situation under control.
Among the injured is a boy Alamgir Mollah who was returning home from school like Riazul. He said he suffered bullet injuries on his left leg. On Friday family members and followers of Hassan took out a rally with the body and demonstrated at Milanbazar. They also blocked road in protest of his killing.
The road blockade was withdrawn after the police assured them of action.
Trouble broke at around 12 pm on Thursday when a group of 30 Trinamul Youth activists suddenly attacked the fair which is organised by the followers of Trinamul MLA of Gosaba Jayanta Naskar. Cooking was underway at the fair then.
Uttam Mahato, one of the fair organisers, alleged, “They asked us to join the party’s youth wing. Within minutes they opened fire on us.” He suffered head injuries. Cautionning both camps Trinamul secretary general Partha Chatterjee said, “Violence will not be tolerated at any cost.” To protest the violence in Basanti the DYFI took out a rally from Sealdah to Park Circus.
