Normal life affected in North Bengal due to 12-hour BJP bandh

Representational Pic

Normal life was affected in the eight northern districts of West Bengal on Friday due to a 12-hour bandh called by the BJP to protest "atrocities on the tribal community" in the backdrop of a girl's death in Kaliaganj last week.

Protestors damaged two buses in Cooch Behar, where scuffles and heated a verbal spat between BJP and Trinamool Congress workers were also reported.

However, in other places, the bandh remained peaceful even as 100 agitators were detained from different parts of the region, a police officer said.

Protesters damaged two buses operated by the state-run NBSTC, while BJP activists put up road blockades in different parts of the region, affecting normal life despite heavy police deployment.

Residents of Siliguri, Jalpaiguri, Raiganj, Kaliaganj, Tufanganj, Balarampur and Cooch Behar town remained indoors as business establishments were shut and vehicles off the roads due to the band that began at 6 am.

"Barring a few stray incidents, the bandh remained peaceful. Our officers were alert and averted any attempt at disrupting law and order. We took strict action and detained over 100 people trying to disturb the peace," a senior police officer said.

In Tufanganj's Chowpati area, police had to intervene when TMC activists tried to stop a BJP rally. A similar situation was witnessed at Chakirbazar in Cooch Behar where TMC and BJP workers got involved in a scuffle.

The bandh, however, did not have much impact on normal life in Darjeeling and Malda districts where shops, markets remained open, although BJP workers were seen protesting outside government offices demanding immediate "stoppage of work".

TMC activists also organised counter-rallies against the bandh and urged people to continue with normal life.

Also Read: Amit Shah attacks Congress over Kharge's 'venomous snake' barb at PM

A BJP leader, Anant De Sarkar, alleged that he and his party colleagues were attacked by TMC workers at Ghughumari in Cooch Behar district.

"We called a bandh to protest against what has happened in Kaliaganj. I was holding a peaceful programme in support of the bandh. All of a sudden, we were attacked by TMC workers. Police remained a mute spectator," he said.

Movement of students, and emergency services were kept out of the ambit of the shutdown.

Authorities have imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC and suspended internet services in Kaliaganj town in Uttar Dinajpur district, which has been rocked by violence since last week over a 17-year-old girl's death.

A demonstration over the girl's death had turned violent on Tuesday as a mob set the Kaliaganj Police Station on fire, and thrashed on-duty police personnel. The protestors claimed she was raped and murdered, though a preliminary post-mortem examination report did not indicate rape.

A civic volunteer, who was critically injured in Tuesday's violence, succumbed while undergoing treatment at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri on Thursday.

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever