Patharpratima: Villagers fought a pitched battle with policemen near a quarantine centre here in South 24 Parganas district on Friday demanding action against a guard alleging that they caught him and a woman inmate in a compromising position inside the facility, police sources said.
Several civic volunteers and a police officer were injured and a police vehicle was damaged by the protesters.
Demanding the arrest of the member of the village police, who was on guard duty at Digambarpur Karmatirtha quarantine centre, hundreds of local people gathered near the facility and started a protest demonstration, police said.
It was alleged that the accused went inside the centre on Thursday night and entered into physical relation with a woman, who had been put up at the quarantine centre.
A few local people noticed the incident and informed others, who gathered in strength and demanded the arrest of the guard, the sources said.
As policemen tried to bring the situation under control, the locals pelted them with stones injuring an officer and several civic volunteers.
A police vehicle was also damaged.
A number of protesters were arrested, police said.