KOLKATA/SILIGURI: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the recent violence in Uttar Dinajpur district following the murder of a girl, saying the opposition party brought goons from Bihar who ransacked a police station and looted villagers.
“BJP brought in goons from Bihar. They ransacked the police station, set it on fire, entered the police station with firearms, and looted villagers and women police personnel were also beaten up. I have directed the police to take strong actions,” Banerjee said while speaking to media persons at the state secretariat.
At least 17 policemen were injured on Tuesday when miscreants attacked a police station and set a police barrack on fire in the district after protests over the murder of a minor girl last week turned violent.
The chief minister said the girl’s death was “very unfortunate but the incidents which followed were all planned. BJP is doing hooliganism in the state”.
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Responding to Banerjee’s statement, BJP MP from Hooghly Locket Chatterjee said, “BJP does not support taking law in one’s hands or attacking the police. But what would the people do when police become a slave of the ruling party? People with their backs against the wall reacted spontaneously. Can you imagine dragging the body of a teenage girl?”
{{/usCountry}}Responding to Banerjee’s statement, BJP MP from Hooghly Locket Chatterjee said, “BJP does not support taking law in one’s hands or attacking the police. But what would the people do when police become a slave of the ruling party? People with their backs against the wall reacted spontaneously. Can you imagine dragging the body of a teenage girl?”
{{/usCountry}}Since Friday, the district has been witnessing protests and clashes.
On Wednesday, a video showing police personnel lying on the ground being beaten with sticks by a youth went viral. It was alleged that the video was from Uttar Dinajpur district. HT could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
“The mob attacked the cops. Some police personnel took shelter in a nearby house. A section of the mob barged into that house and assaulted the cops. The family which lived in the house had to flee. The miscreants looted the house as well,” an official told HT.
“Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) have been imposed in several areas. At least 32 people have been arrested in Tuesday’s attack. We are checking the video that has emerged,” said a senior police officer.