A purported video of gunshots and bomb-hurling at Kolkata Municipal Corporation’s Ward 108 went viral, leading to the BJP raising questions on the city’s law and order situation. A senior officer of Kolkata police alleged that the incident is “a gang war between the gang of one Mini Feroz and a group close to TMC councillor Sushanta Ghosh”.

It took place on Thursday evening at the market area in Gulshan Colony under Anandapur police station. After footage of the incident went viral, police arrested three accused on Friday morning. Councillor Ghosh himself expressed anger: “This type of incident is not acceptable and can be avoided.” He claimed that bombs had been hurled near the residences of people known to him. “The miscreants enjoy the support of someone big, else how would they dare do this in a public area without fearing police?” Ghosh said.

Leader of Opposition and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari posted on X, “The government of ‘Ma-Mati-Manush’ has now become a government of only ‘Mafia-Mastan-Murderers’!!! Gulshan Colony in the Anandapur police station area adjacent to the bypass is a ‘free zone’ for criminals. Yesterday evening, a clash suddenly broke out between the two groups, and open gunfire began. Traders rushed to close their shops, while locals banged on their doors in panic.”

He added, “Who are these reckless gunmen? How do they get so much courage? Local residents claim that there are frequent conflicts between the two Trinamool groups over control of the area. Tensions reached a peak yesterday. Gulshan Colony is the ‘dark underworld’ of Kolkata’s criminal world! A large number of Bangladeshi Muslims have settled in this colony. Often, police from other states raid the area and arrest Bangladeshis who have been hiding there for months. Gulshan Colony has been repeatedly implicated in a series of crime incidents in Kolkata.”

“Why is the police failing to bring the situation under control despite knowing everything? The reason is very clear – if the police try to stop the factional conflict of the ruling party and the fight between the syndicates, the chairs of the police chiefs will be toppled. Mamata Banerjee’s government has given safe haven to illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators in places like Gulshan Colony. They are illegally including their names in the voter list, joining forces to expand their criminal empire, and putting the lives of ordinary citizens at risk,” Adhikari claimed.