Vehicles torched, five injured as mob clashes with police near Kolkata; BJP seeks central forces

Kolkata: Tension simmered in the Rabindranagar area near Kolkata on Wednesday as a violent clash between two groups spiralled into widespread unrest, leaving several police personnel injured and multiple vehicles vandalised, prompting heavy reinforcements and political fallout.

Police said five people were injured in the clash while four were arrested.

The opposition BJP demanded deployment of central forces in the trouble-torn area, while the ruling TMC accused the saffron camp of politicising a local issue.

The violence, which erupted over the setting up of a shop in Maheshtala under Rabindranagar Police Station in South 24 Parganas district, quickly escalated, turning the area into a virtual battlefield.

"Bricks were hurled from rooftops, tyres were set ablaze on the roads, and miscreants torched a motorbike in front of the police station. Several police vehicles were damaged, and at least one police personnel was left bleeding after being hit by a brick," a police officer told reporters.

Eyewitnesses said chaos unfolded right outside the police station as protesters threw stones, leaving officers, including a woman constable, injured.

Reinforcements from Kolkata and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) were rushed to the scene, and tear gas shells were fired to disperse the mob.

The unrest, which reportedly began on Tuesday over a dispute involving a shop, took a dangerous turn on Wednesday. Several police vehicles were ransacked, windows shattered, and the police appeared momentarily overwhelmed by the mob fury.

As the situation deteriorated, authorities imposed preventive measures under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and launched a crackdown to nab the rioters.

The Section empowers a District Magistrate or designated Executive Magistrate to issue urgent preventive orders to avert public nuisance or threats to public peace and safety.

"Raids are presently underway, and additional personnel remain deployed. Several arrests were made," another police officer said.

The West Bengal police later said normalcy had been restored, though the area continued to remain tense.

The incident sparked a strong political backlash with Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari staging a protest outside the West Bengal Police headquarters in Alipore, demanding the immediate deployment of central forces in the troubled area.

"The Hindu community in Rabindranagar has been subjected to looting, arson, and violence for hours while the police watched silently. Several police vehicles were set on fire, yet there was no effective intervention," Adhikari alleged.

He also claimed that DGP Rajiv Kumar refused to meet him.

"Despite such grave attacks on police, the top brass seems indifferent. I will move Calcutta High Court tomorrow seeking urgent intervention and central forces, as ordered earlier during communal tension in Murshidabad," the BJP leader said.

Adhikari was accompanied by several BJP MLAs, including the party's chief whip Shankar Ghosh, and a group of sadhus.

"Monks have received desperate calls from residents in the area seeking protection. This is a complete breakdown of governance," he said.

Echoing Adhikari's demands, BJP state president and Union minister Sukanta Majumdar alleged that the administration had failed to take preventive action.

"Despite knowing the culprits, the police acted against the victims instead of the aggressors," he alleged, accusing the state government of communal appeasement.

Both leaders also urged Governor C V Ananda Bose to intervene, alleging the incident reflected systemic administrative failure.

"The governor must step in to ensure constitutional order is upheld and justice is delivered to the affected Hindu community," Majumdar said, adding that places of worship in the area must be restored.

The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), however, rejected the allegations, saying the opposition was attempting to politicise a "local issue".

"All necessary steps have been taken to control the situation. The police acted swiftly and with firmness. The BJP is trying to give a communal colour to what was essentially a dispute over setting up a shop," said TMC spokesperson and state general secretary Kunal Ghosh.

Condemning the violence, Kolkata Mayor and senior TMC leader Firhad Hakim said, "We wish a speedy recovery to the injured police personnel. At the same time, we strongly condemn the BJP's attempt to communalise and politicise a sensitive issue." He alleged that the BJP's tactics were aimed at "disturbing the peace and harmony of Bengal" and urged all sides to act with restraint.

The police continue to maintain a heavy presence in the area as investigations are underway to identify and apprehend the miscreants involved in the violence.