Kolkata: A step towards “uniting the Hindus” of Bengal, political parties Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party rallies to celebrate Ram Navami claimed the life of a Muslim Man on Sunday.
The man identified as Sheikh Shahjahan aged 55 years from Bhursa Village in Purulia was attacked and killed by a mob while he was relieving himself near a pond in the village on Sunday while four other Policemen including DSP (headquarters) Subrata Kumar Pal were also injured when they tried to intervene the attack said ADG( law and order) Anuj Sharma.
DSP Pal and his security guard both in critical condition and are currently undergoing treatment in Kolkata.
A senior officer speaking about the mob attack said it was to even the score with the previous attack that happened few hours ago during the celebrations.
“There was a BJP procession in the village and it took permission, but it deviated from the route agreed on,” said a senior officer.
Clashes erupted when unidentified men disturbed the procession by setting the bikes on fire of the rallying groups. 17 people have been detained in this incident.
Similar clashes occurred in other parts, a Police outpost in Jagaddal was ransacked in the north while the other occurred in Hooghly’s Chinsurah.
While carrying weapons in public is banned, Sangh groups defying the law carried weapons in these rallies in various parts of the state, including Birbhum, West Midnapore, Howrah and certain areas in Kolkata.
BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha carried a weapon in the procession while Bengal State BJP president Dilip Ghosh held a sword and Locket Chatterjee was seen carrying a trident.
“Arms are nothing but symbols,” said BJP’s Mukul Roy. “No one carries arms in rallies to indulge in fights. The Trinamool government is trying to create a controversy over the Ram Navami armed rallies,” TOI reports.