Siliguri, 09th July: Tensions flared in Siliguri after a youth was allegedly forcefully taken from Hawkers’ Corner and assaulted, sparking political protests and group clashes in Wards 20 and 28.
The conflict reportedly stems from a cricket match held a few days ago in Jyoti Nagar Colony of Ward No. 20, during which a dispute broke out between local youths and a group from Dangipara. Though the issue was resolved through the intervention of the local councillor, it resurfaced violently.
On Tuesday, a group of around 15-20 youths allegedly attacked a young shop worker at Hawkers’ Corner, forcefully took him to Dangipara, and severely beat him. The victim managed to escape and later filed a complaint at Siliguri police station, joined by his family and local residents who demanded immediate action.
On Wednesday morning, BJP leaders, including Siliguri MLA Shankar Ghosh, Siliguri Municipal Corporation Leader of Opposition Amit Jain, party workers, and the victim’s family staged a protest at the police station, followed by a road blockade.
Soon after, clashes broke out again between the two groups in Ward 28, turning the area into a conflict zone. Stones were pelted, prompting police to use tear gas and resort to baton-charge to bring the situation under control. Several individuals were detained during the operation.
Siliguri Police Commissioner C. Sudhakar rushed to the scene with a large police force and took charge of the situation.
In this regard, Siliguri Mayor Gautam Deb stated that the police acted swiftly and brought the situation under control. He claimed the unrest stemmed from a minor issue during a cricket match and accused the opposition of instigating violence.
Meanwhile, BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh alleged that three Trinamool councillors tried to suppress the matter. He further claimed that when the victim went to lodge a complaint, he was detained instead, accusing the ruling party of attempting to cover up the incident.