Two main instigators of attack on cops enforcing coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown in Howrah’s Tikiapara arrested

KOLKATA: The West Bengal police on Thursday arrested two main instigators of Tuesday's attack on the cops enforcing coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown in Howrah’s Tikiapara.

These two culprits were identified and arrested this morning, said reports. They will be produced before the court shortly. With this, the total number of arrests made in connection with the case now stands at 12.

According to the police, these two men had instigated the mob to attack the policemen who were trying to enforce lockdown in the area on Tuesday.

Ten people were arrested by the police on Wednesday and raids are still on to nab all the culprits responsible for the attack on the police in West Bengal's Howrah district.

Two police personnel were injured as a mob hurled bricks and bottles and attacked a police outpost in the Tikiapara area, besides vandalising two security force vehicles after the law-keepers tried to enforce the lockdown in Belilous Road on Tuesday.

Tension still prevailed in the area which saw nightlong raids by the police to round up the perpetrators of the violence identified from a video footage of the incident that had caused outrage in the state as also various parts of the country.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had on Wednesday said she has directed the police to take stern action, without harassing any innocent people.

"This incident should not have taken place. I have told the police to take stern action. The culprits will be booked. At the same time, no innocent person will be harassed," she said. Banerjee, however, accused the BJP of trying to politicise the issue.

"There are so many police stations in Bengal. The incident has taken place in only one police station area. And they are making it a big issue across the nation. As if it is a big victory of the BJP. Their only aim is to humiliate the state government and the state," she told media persons.