Clashes between supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal's Cooch Behar district resulted in multiple injuries, including to police personnel, on Tuesday evening.
The confrontations erupted shortly after a public gathering addressed by Union Minister of State for Home, Nisith Paramanik, concluded, while a rally led by state minister Udayan Guha was preparing to commence nearby. Videos circulated on social media depicted scenes of chaos on the streets of Cooch Behar.
According to reports, the clashes ensued when police intervened to disperse the opposing factions. Paramanik alleged that stones were hurled from the vicinity of the Trinamool's rally as his convoy departed the area. He expressed condemnation of what he described as undemocratic and violent conduct by TMC supporters.
In response, BJP leader Amit Malviya shared footage of the incident on social media, accusing TMC members of assaulting Paramanik and vandalizing vehicles in his convoy. Malviya characterized the episode as indicative of a breakdown in law and order.
However, Udayan Guha refuted these claims, labeling them as baseless. He asserted that BJP supporters instigated the violence by pelting stones at the TMC rally. Guha accused Paramanik's convoy of targeting TMC members with stones and even firing arrows, resulting in injuries to their workers.
Amidst the conflicting narratives, the Governor of West Bengal, CV Ananda Bose, intervened, seeking a detailed report from the state police chief regarding the altercation between Paramanik and Guha. The incident underscores the escalating tensions between political factions in the region, raising concerns about electoral violence and security.
