West Bengal: Violence reported during BJP’s 12-hour strike

Kolkata: Sporadic incidents of violence were seen in North Bengal on Friday during the 12 hours strike called by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the deaths in Kaliyaganj in North Dinajpur.

In Cooch Behar BJP supporters were seen vandalizing a bus and violence was also seen in Siliguri.

North Bengal which has emerged as a stronghold of saffron camp had a mixed reaction during the strike as most of the private buses stayed off roads and shops were closed. BJP supporters at several places took out processions to ask people to support the 12 hours strike.

'Reign of terror'

While, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar alleged that Trinamool Congress (TMC) is running ‘reign of terror’ in West Bengal and also claimed that the bandh was successful as the people protested against the ‘misrule’ of the ruling party, the TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh called the strike as ‘politically motivated’.

At many other districts of North Bengal, police and BJP supporters were also seen getting engaged in a slugfest.

Central Kolkata turns into battlefield

Meanwhile, central Kolkata also turned into a battlefield after BJP supporters and youth wing president Indranil Khan clashed with police while they were visiting the Raj Bhawan to demand CBI probe over the death of Mrityunjay Barman who was allegedly shot by the police.

The BJP supporters were also seen breaking the barricades of the police and the saffron camp leaders and supporters were detained by the police.