Trinamool, BJP Workers Clash In Bengal, Large Police Force Deployed

Clashes broke out between Trinamool Congress and BJP workers today in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district's Hotuganj area. The clashes happened on a day when BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari was holding a rally at Diamond Harbour in the same district.

Reports say a Trinamool office has been vandalised and motorcycles have been set on fire.

The incident happened when a bus, in which BJP supporters were travelling to Mr Adhikari's rally, was allegedly stopped by Trinamool workers in Hatuganj area, 40 km from Kolkata, news agency PTI reported.

A large police force and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) have been deployed in the area to maintain peace, officials said.

BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul, who was in a vehicle, joined BJP supporters to block the arterial Diamond Harbour Road, a national highway, leading to a massive traffic jam.

Claiming that her party's supporters were not behind the arson, Ms Paul said, "TMC activists attacked our men. They are afraid of the popularity of Suvendu Adhikari and hence wanted to disrupt the rally. Our men were beaten up when they were protesting peacefully."

Mr Adhikari later addressed a rally in Diamond Harbour - the Lok Sabha constituency of Trinamool's Abhishek Banerjee, in a show of strength ahead of the panchayat polls.

With inputs from PTI