West Bengal: Clash between Kolkata Police and ISF protestors | Watch
1 min read 21 Jan 2023, 07:58 PM ISTWest Bengal: Several police personnel and demonstrators got injured during the clash between ISF activists and Kolkata police.
PremiumA clash has broken between Indian Secular Front (ISF) activists and Kolkata police at the Esplanade area in West Bengal on Saturday during a demonstration against alleged attacks on their workers by the ruling Trinamool Congress in South 24 Parganas district.
The protest threw traffic out of gear around the area. ISF MLA Naushad Siddique, who was leading the agitation, was detained. Several police personnel and demonstrators also got injured.
A senior police official informed that ISF activists blocked an arterial road in the city which prompted the cops to urge them to clear Jawaharlal Nehru Road and allow traffic movement on the road.
However, the protestors refused to vacate the road and demanded the arrest of perpetrators who were allegedly behind the attacks on its activists at Bhangar, according to the news agency PTI.
In addition, the demonstrators numbering around 500 also damaged kiosks and guardrails of the police injuring several police personnel, the official said.
A strong police force, consisting RAF and armed policemen, was deployed in the area to bring the situation under control. Several top police officers rushed to the spot to control the mob.
After an hour, police managed to clear the Jawaharlal Nehru Road and chased away the protestors but stray incidents of stone pelting continued for some time, as per PTI reports.
Commuters, during the clash, came out of their shops raising their hands.
A day before, ISF party offices were also burnt down in Bhangar allegedly by TMC workers. However, the ruling party claimed that the ISF destabilised the situation in the area by bringing in armed men and attacking their supporters for the past few days.
ISF is the only opposition party other than BJP to have won a seat in the 2021 West Bengal assembly election. Its allies, the CPI(M)-led Left Front and the Congress failed to bag any seat.
(With inputs from agencies)
