Kolkata: Entally Police Station witnessed a two-hour-long spat between rival BJP factions on Friday night and early Saturday, with one group allegedly blocking the station’s main entrance. A viral video shows BJP supporters locking the police station’s main gate.
Locals alleged that over 80 protesters kept the station out of bounds for nearly one and a half hours using locks and chains following a clash between the factions. Police, however, said the demonstration was held outside the station premises and claimed access was not blocked between 3 am and 4.30 am.
A video shows a lock on the gate and the main door shut while a protester addresses supporters sitting on Convent Road. Another video shows senior officers asking protesters to end the demonstration, citing Independence Day security preparations.
“We have registered a case for holding an illegal protest, and an investigation has been initiated,” said a senior officer from the Eastern Suburban Division.
According to a Facebook post by supporters of local BJP leader and Sealdah Court public prosecutor Dilip Kumar Ram, the protest followed “unwanted acts” by another party faction.
“On our part, the ceremonial foundation worship (Khuti Puja) for the first-ever Durga Puja at Padmapukur Ground was held on Wednesday. But on Friday night, Priyanka Tibrewal — the BJP candidate from the Entally assembly constituency — had our banner removed and replaced with her own by her people. Even more painful and condemnable is that the sacred Durga Puja post was uprooted and thrown away. Seeking justice over this incident, members of all Hindu organizations surrounded Entally Police Station at midnight that day. If Entally Police do not immediately identify the culprits and make arrests, this movement will continue,” stated the Facebook page titled Adv Dilip Kumar Ram.
Tibrewal expressed “deep shock and disgust” at her name being dragged into the controversy.
“It all began with two separate incidents on Friday, in both of which I was not present. It was locals who stopped an I-Day flag hoisting function in the Vaishali area of Tangra. The locals stated that hoisting the flag at midnight was the culture of the Trinamool Congress. They requested that the cultural program continue while deferring the flag hoisting. The cops were present at the spot and nothing untoward happened. They then went to the Ward 54 area of Entally and insisted on holding the Durga Puja at a particular spot despite requests by locals to hold it nearby on the road. I have no role in either incident, nor do I associate with them as they are now trying to capture everything here,” Tibrewal said.
No arrests have been made so far, said police sources.