Bengal: 2 cops, 10 BJP workers injured in violent clashes in Cooch Behar

At least two policemen and ten BJP workers were injured on Friday after a clash broke out between the two sides regarding control over Panchayat in the Rampur area of West Bengal's Cooch Behar district.

The police fired several rounds of tear gas and charged lathi on the supporters. The supporters, in turn, allegedly pelted stones on the police. Tires were also burned on the spot, reports say, adding to the chaos.

According to sources, the clashes broke out centring on a dispute over the control of the Rampur No. 2 Panchayat. After the Lok Sabha polls, BJP had claimed the Panchayat, their members including several past TMC workers. Sources said that TMC leapt on to avenge the lost Panchayat area, thereby resulting in the violent clashes.

Speaking to news agencies, BJP district general secretary Sanjay Chakraborty said, "After TMC lost the Lok Sabha elections in the area, they started threatening the local people. Today local villagers, who support the BJP, protested against it, which turned into violence. With the help of the police, TMC workers attacked our party supporters".

Refuting the allegations, TMC district vice president Abdul Jalil Ahmed said that the BJP workers attacked policemen as well as his party workers.

On Friday, local TMC leaders tried to force entry into the Panchayat office with some returning party workers. When the saffron supporters prevented them from doing so, clashes ensued. A massive police force reached the spot soon enough to control the situation, when the rioters started pelting stones at the cops. As a retaliatory measure, the police fired several rounds of tear gas and lathicharged to control the situation.

(With agency inputs)