Bengal: 3 shot after altercation over installing solar lamps

According to the police, trouble began over the local panchayat’s move to install a solar street lamp to light up a village road stretch that was prone to accidents

Three villagers were shot at following a heated exchange over installing street lamps at Islampur in Murshidabad district in south Bengal late on Friday night.

Police said that condition of two of those shot was critical as they had sustained multiple injuries. One person has been detained (Representative photo)

Police said that condition of two of them was critical as they had sustained multiple injuries. One person has been detained.

According to the police, the local panchayat had installed a solar street lamp to light up a village road stretch that was prone to accidents. A garage owner, however, changed that direction of the lamp to illuminate the stretch where his garage was located.

When villagers noticed it, they confronted the garage owner. An altercation broke out and the police had to intervene. Later when police went away, the accused, his brother and his father went to the garage’s terrace and started firing at the villagers.

“The victims were rushed to a local hospital from where two of them were shifted to a state-run medical college and hospital. One person has been detained,” said a police officer.