The streets of Kolkata turned into a virtual battlefield on Tuesday afternoon as BJP activists, marching to the West Bengal Secretariat to protest corruption issues, clashed with police.
Huge police contingent deployed 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.
A police vehicle was torched, while a BJP councillor of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and several others, including both BJP supporters and police personnel, were injured. A police kiosk there was also vandalised by the BJP supporters.
However, BJP state President Sukanta Majumdar alleged that the PCR van was set on fire by the police only and blame put on his party supporters. Senior city officials rubbished his claims.
An Assistant Commissioner of Police was also brutally attacked with sticks by a violent mob. The video of the attack has gone viral on social media.
In the recent times large amount of cash was recovered in West Bengal. In July, the Enforcement Directorate recovered nearly Rs 50 crore cash, besides gold, property documents and foreign currency from the then West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee's aide Arpita Chatterjee.
More recently Rs 17 crore cash was recovered from businessman Amir Khan in the Garden Reach area of Kolkata. After a search operation conducted at six locations over an alleged case of mobile gaming app called E-Nuggets.
This gave the main opposition party in West Bengal, the BJP, a chance to raise the issue. Taking the opportunity, the opposition decided to launch a the 'Nabanna Abhijan' (march to secretariat) to protest against alleged corrupt practices of the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal.
(With inputs from agencies)
