Kolkata: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday directed the West Bengal Police to immediately track and arrest all those involved in violent clashes between workers of the Trinamool Congress and the BJP in Jagatdal in North 24 Parganas district on Sunday night, in which several persons were injured.
On Sunday night, at around 11 P.M., there was a scuffle between Trinamool Congress and BJP candidates in Jagatdal. A bomb blast took place. A Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) jawan was also injured in the incident. The poll Commission had now sought a report from the police on the matter.
On Sunday night, the BJP candidate from the local Noapara and former party Lok Sabha member from the local Barrackpore constituency, Arjun Singh went to the local Jagatdal police station to file an FIR.
At that time, over 200 Trinamool Congress supporters were also assembled in front of the police station, which initially led to a quarrel between them and the BJP supporters and finally clashes between the two groups.
In the clashes firearms and crude bombs were used which led to injury to the CAPF jawan.
Later, a huge and joint contingent of CAPF and Barrackpore Police Commissariat rushed to control the situation. Four people have already been arrested. The arrested people are Kaushik Das, Sikandar Prasad, Gopal Raut and Shyamdev Shaw.
Some more people accused of being involved in the clashes are still missing. The Commission had directed the police to immediately track them and take them into custody. At the same, the ECI had directed the state police and CAPF to conduct constant patrolling in the area.
A total of 142 Assembly constituencies scattered over six districts, including North 24 Parganas, and the state-capital of Kolkata are going for polls in the second phase on April 29. The results will be declared on May 4.
The Commission had adopted unprecedented security cover on the polling day, which is much more elaborate and watertight than what it was in the first phase on April 23.
(IANS)
