West Bengal: Violence erupts in South 24 Parganas over power project; Rapid Action Force summoned

Two vehicles were set ablaze and several people sustained injuries in a clash between groups of villagers in Bhangar South 24 Parganas over the protest regarding the construction of a power project.

According to ANI, the Rapid Action Force has been called to calm the situation.

The incident comes 10 months after an agitation over the project claimed two lives.

At the time, local TMC workers clashed with agitators on Thursday leading to bullet injuries and gutting of vehicles. Clashes erupted when the TMC workers tried to prevent a motorbike rally of anti-power grid agitators from entering Bhangra by blocking the roads with tree trunks and wooden benches. In the ensuing melee, both side sides sustained injuries. All the injured are being treated at a local hospital. Two pick-up vans and three motorcycles were burnt during the clash.

Two people were left dead and one seriously injured after clashes between the villagers and cops reached a boiling point after work on a power substation of Power Grid Corporation of India, for which 13 acres of land had been acquired, neared completion.

One of the deceased identified as Mofizul Ali Khan was rushed to the SSKM hospital in Kolkata with bullet injuries. His brother, Intajul Khan said that Mofizul was not one of those whose land was acquired but he was protesting against the probable health hazards owing to the power grid project. Another person named Alam, who had also suffered bullet injuries was declared dead by the RG Kar hospital.