A clash between two members of different communities left nearly two dozen people injured in Howrah district’s Belilious Road late on Wednesday night prompting authorities to enforce Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, The Indian Express reported.
The incident occurred during a rally by members of the minority community near the Howrah railway station, involving stone pelting between 10 pm and midnight.
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The police, along with the Rapid Action Force, were deployed, and markets remained closed on Thursday due to prevailing tension. Howrah Police Commissioner Praveen Tripathi stated that an investigation is underway, and a rioting case has been initiated, though no arrests have been made.
Both sides were reportedly involved in pelting stones during the clash.
The clash originated when a community procession from Tikiapara to Fasitala encountered slogans and tensions on Belilious Road. The police set up barricades, heavily guarding all lanes and bylanes to control the situation.
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Sunil Sharma, a resident, recounted, “Members of a community took out a religious procession from Tikiapara in Belilious Road. They wanted to go to the Gorabazar area where a religious event took place two days back. However, the police stopped them at the Vishti Para area and did not allow them to move in that direction. But some people from the rally went to the Gorabazar area and started pelting stones. Soon members of another community also pelted stones at them.”
The limited number of police personnel present found themselves overpowered as the confrontation escalated. “Even some policemen were hit with stones. The stone pelting continued for one and a half hours. Some shops and a few e-rickshaws were damaged. Later, more police came and fired tear-gas shells to disperse the mob,” added another resident, according to The Indian Express.
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Union Minister Smriti Irani, in Kolkata at the time, blamed the Trinamool Congress for harbouring troublemakers and criticised Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for a recent all-faith harmony rally.
“Stones were pelted in Howrah yesterday. Goons who are sheltered by Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress tried to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere there. The police didn’t reach the spot where stone pelting was going on. But they appeared and stopped the live-streaming (in Kolkata) when the PM was addressing youth voters. INDIA alliance leaders’ disrespect towards Sanatan Dharam and Lord Ram is evident,” she said.
In response, state minister Shashi Panja accused the BJP of attempting to stoke communal tensions. BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya alleged TMC’s involvement in instigating violence, claiming police inaction during the clash.
Meanwhile, state minister Arup Roy urged peace, stating that the police acted promptly to control the situation, with Section 144 being imposed to prevent further violence.