A high police officer in India’s jap Kolkata metropolis sustained critical accidents on Tuesday after being chased and assaulted by males allegedly related to the nation’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Occasion (BJP).
In a video of the incident, assistant commissioner of police Debajit Chattopadhyay could be seen being thrashed by a gaggle of over 10 saffron-clad males wielding flag sticks.
Mr Chattopadhyay briefly escapes the group earlier than being chased by the alleged BJP staff to the tip of the highway, the place he was attacked once more.
The officer was then escorted by some locals because the mob continued chasing him. He suffered a number of fractures and was admitted to a hospital for therapy.
This was one of many a number of incidents of violence and arson which have turned components of town right into a battle zone.
BJP members clashed with police throughout a protest march held by them in opposition to the West Bengal state authorities led by the nation’s solely lady chief minister and staunch BJP critic — Mamata Banerjee.
Kolkata was become a fortress by town police after they have been pressured to barricade a number of roads to forestall demonstrators from marching additional.
The BJP, which is the first opposition occasion in West Bengal, staged the march to protest in opposition to the administration of Ms Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) occasion over latest allegations of corruption and scams.
A police car was additionally torched close to the central a part of town after protesters have been barred from marching towards the state secretariat constructing in Howrah space. A police kiosk was broken as nicely.
At the very least 56 police personnel have been injured in the course of the protest march, whereas over 300 BJP staff, together with some senior state functionaries, have been reportedly wounded in the course of the clashes.
The scuffles continued for a number of hours, with police resorting to teargas and water cannon to disperse the group. The protesters hit again at officers by pelting stones.
Police hearth tear gasoline to disperse Bharatiya Janata Occasion members
(AFP through Getty Photos)
4 individuals have been arrested for allegedly assaulting the police officer and setting a police car ablaze following a night-long raid in components of town.
The suspects have been charged with try to homicide, destruction of presidency property and stopping public servants from performing obligation.
“The raids are nonetheless occurring,” an officer was quoted by information company PTI as saying on Wednesday afternoon.
A complete of 139 individuals have been arrested in relation to Tuesday’s violence.
The BJP claimed the violence was carried out by TMC members who made their manner into the protest march. “Our activists are being framed and false fees slapped in opposition to them,” stated Dilip Ghosh, the BJP’s nationwide vice chairman.
Nevertheless, in accordance the state administration, the police confirmed “great restraint”.
“Chapter 1 in BJP’s New Schooling Coverage: the best way to methodically torch police car. BJP simians in Kolkata yesterday,” wrote TMC lawmaker Mahua Moitra on Twitter.
