The state assembly today witnessed pandemonium of its worst kind as the opposition MLAs took up the issue of law and order in the state, with special reference to Bagtui carnage.

The members of the opposition and treasury benches exchanged blows, leaving lawmakers from both sides injured. Later, the livid speaker put five MLAs of the opposition BJP under suspension till the next session before adjourning the house. The BJP MLAs had been protesting against the deteriorating law and order situation in the state and staging walkouts for the last few days.

The death of eight people burnt alive in an alleged revenge killing at Bagtui village of Rampurhat in Birbhum was the trigger for today’s protest which turned violent. The BJP lawmakers moved to the well of the house, led by their leader in the assembly Suvendu Adhikari to make their point to the speaker Biman Banerjee.

Mr Adhikari criticised the chief minister for making certain comments regarding the Bagtui carnage at Siliguri. He said that the Cm should have made her statements inside the assembly, when the house is in session, instead of commenting outside it. According to Mr Adhikari, this was “improper”, and “violated the procedures of the state legislature”.

This prompted the speaker to hit back as he said to Mr Adhikari, “You guys are creating pandemonium in the house and staging walkouts regularly but what had prompted you today to come up with these wild allegations?” This was the trigger which led to fisticuffs being exchanged between the two party MLAs.

The ruling party MLAs later alleged that the BJP leaders showed scant respect to the female marshals inside the assembly and even injured them in the process.The chief whip of the BJP legislature party, Manoj Tigga alleged that he was beaten up and his shirt torn by the ruling party MLAs.

The ruling Trinamul Congress MLA Asit Majumar, who represents Chinsurah assembly constituency in Hooghly was taken to SSKM hospital allegedly with a broken nose. Later, he alleged that Suvendu Adhikari had assaulted him. Several women lawmakers from both the camps alleged that they too had come under attack by the ruling and the opposition MLAs as well.