Violence in Malda mars shutdown in West Bengal

MALDA/ASANSOL/DURGAPUR/HALDIA/ARAMBAG: Most of West Bengal remained peaceful, barring sporadic incidents, during Wednesday’s Left-Congress bandh against the violence at JNU and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, but Malda witnessed major violence when strike supporters clashed with police at Sujapur.
At least 10 cops were injured and six police vehicles torched. Several private vehicles and buses were attacked and a hotel was set ablaze near the trouble spot on NH34.Police retaliated with a lathicharge, tear gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse a mob of villagers.
Trouble broke out after hundreds of Congress and CPM supporters remained defiant about continuing the blockade despite police pleas. The blockade had held up vehicles along a vast stretch of NH34, a key highway connecting north and south Bengal. Police arrived at 10am and tried to persuade the protesters to end the blockade. This seemed to work initially but hundreds of locals later defied cops, who allegedly resorted to lathicharge. This sparked violence, claimed bandh supporters. The mob hurled bricks and stones, torched police jeeps and ransacked other vehicles.
Malda SP Alok Rajoria told TOI: “The road was blocked for over five hours. When we tried to disperse them, miscreants attacked cops. We have identified the culprits and will take stern action against them.”
CPM leader Ambar Mitra alleged: “Violence at Sujapur happened at the instigation of police and TMC.”
Bandh supporters also attacked buses at East Burdwan’s Khoirasol and picketed terminals in Hooghly’s Tarakeswar and Arambag. Train services were affected between Howrah and Arambag.
(Inputs from Mohammad Asif, Suman Mondal, Sujay Khanra and Falguni Banerjee)