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No fresh stir in Asansol barring Babul Supriyo episode

No fresh violence was on Thursday reported from Asansol, which is slowly limping back to normal. Streets wore a deserted…

No fresh stir in Asansol barring Babul Supriyo episode

Police force deployed at the violance area of Asansol in Paschim Burdwan on Thursday. (Photo: Sitaram Mukherjee)

No fresh violence was on Thursday reported from Asansol, which is slowly limping back to normal. Streets wore a deserted look, with otherwise busy New Delhi-Kolkata National Highway-2 which criss-crosses through Asansol looking somewhat empty.

The death toll in the last three days’ violence increased to three, with the recovery of one more body last evening on OK Road, Railpar area, under Asansol North police station.

However, the situation turned tense this afternoon when Union minister and Asansol MP Babul Supriyo tried to enter Railpar area but was prevented by the police.

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He allegedly tried to enter forcefully and pushed deputy commissioner of Kolkata police, Rupesh Khan and Asansol south police station OC, Manorajan Mondal.

An FIR will be lodged against him later on Thursday for heckling on-duty policemen, the police informed. Babul Supriyo alleged that innocent people are being tortured and harassed and being the local MP he was trying to visit the area.

“As a public representative, I have every right to visit my constituency, especially when people are in trouble. It is my duty. But the police is saying I won’t be allowed to go as Section 144 is imposed in the area. Being a minister, I cannot violate rules,” Supriyo said.

BJP leader Locket Chatterjee who was on her way to visit the area, was also stopped by police at Durgapur.

A large number of personnel of the Rapid Action Force and combat force jawans patrolled the streets of Railpar, Chandmari and Ramkrishna Dangal.

Many people were on Thursday seen leaving their houses in fear along with their belongings. Shops, markets and offices remained closed and buses and auto rickshaws remained off the roads.

Three top IPS officers, Siddhi Nath Gupta, Jawed Shamim and Vineet Goyal, have been route marching on Thursday with the armed forces for area domination in the affected areas.

Last evening, some people hurled bombs, fired and pelted stones at the vehicle of IGP (Western zone), Rajeev Mishra. Asansol North police have arrested four persons in this connection and all of them have been sent to jail custody.

Director (security), Sidhhi Nath Gupta informed The Statesman on Thursday that Section 144 is still in force in certain areas and internet services were not restored yet.

Meanwhile, injured deputy commissioner, Arindam Dutta Chowdhury, has been shifted from Durgapur Mission Hospital on Thursday to Sri Gangaram Hospital in Coimbatore for plastic surgery and better treatment.

Asansol mayor Jitendar Tewari, has once again asked the people to maintain peace. However, the situation is still tense.

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