Violence in West Bengal, Bihar on Ram Navami; case against BJP leader for carrying arms during procession

Kolkata/Bihar: Violence broke out in West Bengal and Bihar on the occasion of Ram Navami on Sunday. One person was killed and five police personnel were injured during a clash between two groups over a Ram Navami procession in Purulia in Bengal.

While the Purulia SP Joy Biswas confirmed that one person was killed in the clash, the Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Anuj Sharma said five police personnel, including a deputy superintendent of police-rank officer, were injured after violence erupted between two groups in the Arsha police station area.

Massive clashes also broke out in the Raniganj area of Bardhaman West district. Two police officers were seriously injured when two groups attacked each other during a rally. One of the Ram Navami processions allegedly tried to enter an area, where members of the minority community lived in large numbers, a senior police officer said on the condition of anonymity, as per PTI.

The members of the two communities got into a fight even as the police tried to intervene, he said, adding that a temple in the vicinity was also attacked during the clashes.
"Asansol-Durgapur Deputy Commissioner of Police Arindam Dutta Chowdhury was injured in the incident. He lost a hand when the agitators hurled a bomb at him. He has been admitted to a private hospital," the officer said. Officer in-charge (OC) Pramit Ganguly also received head injuries in the violence, he added.

On the other hand, a case was on Monday registered against BJP West Bengal mahila morcha president Locket Chatterjee for allegedly participating in an 'armed' Ram Navami procession in Birbhum district on Sunday, police said. "A case has been lodged against Locket Chatterjee, which also includes non-bailable sections for participating in a rally with arms," Birbhum Superintendent of Police (SP) N Sudheer Kumar said. 

An FIR has been also been lodged against BJP state president Dilip Ghosh under non-bailable sections, West Midnapore district Superintendent of Police Alok Rajoria said.
Ghosh had purportedly been seen participating in a Ram Naami rally with a sword and a mace at Kharagpur in West Midnapore district on Sunday, PTI reported.

শক্তি ও ভক্তির সমন্বয়ে রামনবমী.. pic.twitter.com/C7izLRFaSw — Dilip Ghosh (@DilipGhoshBJP) March 26, 2018

Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said that she had directed the DGP to instruct all the SPs to take strong action in this regard and not to spare anyone, whoever he or she was. "The law will take its own course. I will not tolerate this," she said at a public meeting at Pailan and added that if the police failed to take action, steps would be taken against them. Banerjee also called those, who allegedly carried swords and other weapons in Ram Navami processions, "hooligans".

The BJP and the TMC had organised processions to celebrate Ram Navami in various parts of the state on Sunday.

On the other hand, violence was reported from Bihar too. Section 144 has been imposed in Aurangabad after clashes broke out between two communities. As per reports, clashes occurred when stones were thrown at a group taking out a march to celebrate Ram Navami on Sunday. Many are said to have been injured in the incident.

In the ensuing violence, shops were burnt and properties damaged at Ramesh Chowk by agitating mob. Reports of violence have also been reported from other parts of Bihar like Gaya and Siwan.

(With PTI inputs)