Kolkata, Oct 6 — Two local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders were arrested late on Monday night after they allegedly protested outside a police station following a clash between rival groups of the party in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, the police said on Tuesday.
Three BJP workers were reportedly injured in the clash, which took place in Khardah under the Barrackpore Industrial Area. The police from Rahara police station reached the area to bring the situation under control. BJP workers later staged a protest outside the police station.
The latest incident has brought to the fore another case of factional tension within the BJP, barely five months after the party came to power in West Bengal. This time, the dispute between two groups in the Barrackpore Industrial Area is linked to allegations of extortion from a fishery in the Patulia area of Khardah Assembly constituency. The confrontation escalated on Monday night, with a bomb allegedly being hurled at a health centre.
A section of the local BJP, however, has rejected the claim that the incident was a factional clash.
According to BJP leader Indranil Kumar Das, there had been tension between the two groups for some time over alleged extortion from the fishery. Das alleged that Himadri Sikdar, vice-president of Khardah Mandal 3, was collecting money from the fishery every month.
Das claimed that when he questioned Sikdar about the alleged collection, an argument broke out between the two sides and soon turned into a physical clash. The confrontation later spilled into the public area, creating tension among local residents.
It has also been alleged that a bomb was hurled during the clash. BJP workers claimed that when they objected to the alleged extortion, a fight broke out between the groups. They further alleged that when injured persons were taken to the health centre, members of the rival group threw bombs there.
The police from Rahara police station reached the spot after receiving information about the violence and brought the situation under control. BJP workers subsequently gathered outside the police station and protested against the incident.
The police later arrested Das and Sikdar. Officers said a clash had taken place and an investigation was underway to establish the circumstances and identify those responsible for the violence.
The rival groups have since levelled allegations against each other.
Supporters of Sikdar alleged that Das claims to be a BJP leader but is not associated with the party. They further alleged that people who had worked for the Trinamool Congress before the May 4 Assembly election results were using the BJP's name to carry out extortion.
Das rejected the allegations and said he had served as the election agent of state minister Kalyan Mukherjee.
He claimed he had never worked for the Trinamool Congress and alleged that Sikdar was collecting money from the fishery. Das said the minister had learnt about the alleged extortion and asked him to intervene and stop it.