Three held in Mumbai over Bengal post-poll violence

Mumbai Crime Branch detains three men, including a TMC leader, linked to post-poll violence in Shibpur, West Bengal; they allegedly fled after the riots.

MUMBAI: The Mumbai Crime Branch on Thursday detained three men, including a Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader, from Deonar in connection with the alleged post-poll violence in Shibpur, West Bengal, police said.

Three held in Mumbai over Bengal post-poll violence

The accused — Shamim Ahmed Abdul Rashid, 40, Jamil Ali, 43, and Aftab Anwar Khurshid Anwar, 44 — are residents of the Shibpur area in Howrah district and will be handed over to the West Bengal police, officers said.

According to police, the trio fled West Bengal after violence erupted in Shibpur on May 7. They had allegedly been hiding in an SRA building in Deonar.

“A case was registered at Shibpur police station under sections related to unlawful assembly, rioting, attempt to murder, criminal intimidation and provisions of the Explosives Act,” a Mumbai Crime Branch officer said.

Police said videos circulating on social media purportedly showed a mob hurling crude bombs, vandalising property and raising slogans during the violence. BJP leaders alleged that party workers were attacked with stones, bricks and crude bombs, leaving at least two workers injured.

The BJP also staged protests outside a police station in West Bengal over the incident and blamed Rashid for orchestrating the violence.

Meanwhile, police said BJP leader Chandranath Rath, described as a close aide of West Bengal opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari, was shot dead during the post-poll violence.

“The accused had been staying in a flat owned by an acquaintance in Deonar since the violence broke out,” the officer added.