Two killed and five injured as violence erupts at Bhatpara – Kancharapra areas of Bengal

Kolkata, Jun.20 (HS): In one of the worst cases of post poll violence in West Bengal, at least two people were killed and  five others seriously injured at Bhatpara- Kannchrapara areas of North 24 Parganas today when local criminals freely used bombs and other missiles forcing the police to open fire leading to such large number of casualties.

Though police denied opening fire to ward off the crowd and said they only burst tear gas shells,local people alleged that both the deceased,identified as Ramdulal and Dharamvir Shaw, were killed in police firing along with at least three of the five seriously injured. All the injured were admitted to different hospitals, where the condition of at least three was stated to be critical.

As the situation deteriorated at every hour since this morning, the local people in the entire Bhatpara and Kancharapara industrial belt were forced to remain indoors.

All shops, business establishments downed the shutters and vehicles went off the roads. All schools, colleges and other educational institutions and market places remained closed as a result of unabated violence to give the entire area a deserted look.

As a result, the district administration has imposed prohibitory orders under 144 CRPC banning assembly of five or more people in the area as preventive measure. But that too could not stop the bursting of crackers and powerful bombs by the criminals from both sides.

Though the exact cause behind the eruption of large scale violence and bombing at Bhatpara- Kancharapara areas was not known, the day began there with sounds of repeated bomb blasts and firing causing panic and fear among the local people who could not venture out even for urgent work, the police said.

As  a new police station was to be inaugurated at Bhatpara today, as directed by Chief minister Mamta Banerjee, in view of frequent incidents of violence in this industrial belt of north 24 Parganas district,  it could not be done because of today’s unabated violence since morning.

The Director General of West Bengal Police, Birendra who was to inaugurate the new Bhatpara Police Station in presence of several other senior police officials, could not come to Bhatpara and had to return to Kolkata from midway.

Later realising the gravity of the situation, the Chief minister convened an urgent meeting at the state Secretariat Nabanna this afternoon to review the entire situation along with state Chief Secretary Malay Dey, Home Secretarty Alapan Banerjee,DG BIrendra  and City Police Commissioner Anuj Sharma among others.

Expressing serious concern at the repeated incidents of violence at strife torn Bhatpara – Kancharapara areas, the Chief minister directed the officials to take a ‘Special drive’ to end the menace of violence in this neighboring industrial belt once and for all.

Later commenting on the grave situation, Home Secretary Banerjee announced the government decision to impose 144 CRPC in the area and blamed a section of criminals from outside the state  for allegedly behind today’s disturbances and violence with ‘ulterior motives.’

Stating that these outsiders had joined hands with some local criminals and set off a reign of terror in Bhatpara- Kanchrapara and Jagaddal areas of the district since the declaration of Lok Sabha elections results in favour of BJP,  the Home Secretary said in order to control the situation ‘with iron hands’ and restore peace and complete normalcy in the area at the earliest, the government had appointed Additional Director General of Police,South Bengal, Sanjay Singh as the head of Barrackpore Police Commissionerate to effectively deal with the situation.

‘We have  ensured posting of large number of police and the Rapid Action Force personnel in the area who would conduct Route Marches in the entire locality from today itself to restore peace and bring confidence among the innocent people.the Home Secretary informed.

It may be recalled that since the election of BJP candidate Arjun Singh as the new Lok Sabha member from Barrackpore replacing the earlier incumbent  and former Railway minister Diesh Trivedi of Trinamool Congress, a large portion of Bhatpara, Kancharapara and Jagaddal areas under the constituency had turned into a hot bed of frequent violence,bombing and arson in which nearly seven people had so far been killed and many more injured, as both the Chief minister and the new BJP  MP continued the blame game against one other and their party supporters for all these disturbances.