Tension run high in South 24 Parganas’ Maheshtala under the Diamond Harbour area on Thursday after a violent clash broke out between two groups a day earlier, leading to vandalism of a temple and forcing the local administration to clamp Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (formerly Section 144 Cr PC).
The police have rounded up some 40 suspects, official sources said.
The police warned people not to indulge in violence, as armed forces began a fresh search operation for suspects who had attacked the law enforcers, injuring several security personnel.
The DC Port was also injured in brick-batting by the miscreants, which led the police to fire teargas shells to disperse violent mobs.
Police have lodged seven FIRs and arrested miscreants during the night searches. The residents of the violence-affected locality remained indoors on Thursday. Shops and markets were closed in the area.
Scores of shops were vandalized as clashes continued for almost the entire day on Wednesday.
Violence erupted after a dispute over the construction of shops in front of a Shiva temple in Maheshtala. Local residents opposed the move and instead built a small Tulsi Mandir, which allegedly triggered a violent backlash.
To contain violence, police fired tear gas shells and called in reinforcements from Kolkata. Several police personnel, including a woman constable, sustained injuries during stone-pelting. The Rapid Action Force (RAF) has now been deployed.
Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday moved the Calcutta High Court seeking Central armed forces’ deployment and a probe by the National Investigation Agency.
Adhikari also sought the permission from the DGP and local SP to allow him to go to Maheshtala along with the MLA of the affected area.
