According to police sources, it started as an argument between two youngsters over the parking of a motorcycle in Rajabazar area under Narkeldanga police station at around 9.30 pm. Soon, more people gathered and it escalated into stone- and glass bottle-pelting.
The incident occurred around the time of Kali Puja immersions but the police denied it had anything to do with the event.
“An attempt has been made on social media to create a fake narrative about the incident at Narkeldanga. No Kali Puja immersion procession was attacked. Issue was related to parking of a bike which led to a fight between two individuals and further escalated. However, police intervened timely and brought the situation under control. The scheduled Kali Puja immersion procession was completed peacefully and without any hindrance,” the police post said.
According to the sources, stones were also allegedly pelted from neighbouring buildings. Immersion processions were halted as people started to panic and ran away from the scene.
There is no official figure on the number of wounded, but police sources said there were a few “minor injuries” on both sides.
Eventually, a large contingent of police and the Rapid Action Force reached the scene and began resorting to lathi charge and firing tear gas. According to eyewitnesses, the situation escalated suddenly.
“We were peacefully taking out our procession. Our routes and even other details were informed and ratified by the police. Suddenly we saw there was a commotion. Stones and glass bottles were lobbed at us. We had to make a U-turn and return,” said Avinava Basu, secretary of Sastitala Barowari Puja Committee, one of the several groups that were part of the procession that day.
Immersions eventually continued through a different route under police protection.
“Police lobbed tear gas shells and baton charges on us. They lobbed tear gas shells near homes inside the lanes. We just gathered to see what the commotion was about,” said a member of the opposing group.
Police blocked Narkeldanga Main Road from both sides and placed pickets.
Local shops remained closed, and a large police contingent remained posted in the area throughout the day. Vehicular movement was restricted in the morning but eased later in the afternoon.
The BJP called it an “appeasement politics at its height”. In a post on X, Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly and BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari said: “Maa Kali’s immersion procession attacked at Rajabazar; Kolkata. Narkeldanga Police failed to act and protect the devotees. @CPKolkata if you are yet not waking up from your deep slumber then request for the deployment of CAPF immediately in the interest of common & innocent Bharatiyas, who time and again are coming under attack from the radicals in WB.”
However, Kunal Ghosh, a leader of the ruling TMC and a former Rajya Sabha MP, denied these allegations saying the incident had “no relation to politics or religion”.
“This was a commotion in a neighbourhood. Since the area has a population from different communities, police took prompt action and controlled the situation,” he said, adding: “The BJP, as usual, is trying to spread tension”.