Protestors against Vaishnodevi ropeway project clash with cops in Jammu
The ropeway project is meant to carry pilgrims to the mountain cave shrine from the base town.
Ahead of chief minister’s Burdwan visit, two Trinamul Congress factions fought a pitched battle resulting in splinter and sword injuries to eight persons on Friday. Of them, four persons suffering from critical wounds were shifted to the Burdwan Medical College and Hospital.
The groups hurled bombs at each other. One of the groups allegedly owing allegiance to former MLA Bhatar Subhas Mondal, fired two rounds at the members of the group commanded by present MLA Mangobinda Adhikari.
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Police from three stations, Bhatar, Ausgram and Dewandighi rushed to the spot at Mohanpur village within the Bhatar block and booked several persons from the groups. The Trinamul Congress district committee also sought for immediate police action as further spreading of violence ahead of the chief minister’s visit might invite harsh penal measures from the party chief Mamata Banerjee.
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Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to address a public meeting in town on 28 June. To oversee the preparations of her visit, minister Indranil Sen has already arrived in Burdwan today.
Trouble began at Mohanpur after the aides of Adhikari, the present MLA, went to help a woman Ranu Sen to regain her piece of agricultural farmland grabbed by some locals. Biswajit Pal, a resident of the village, said, “In a meeting last year, it was decided that the farmland will be returned back to Ranu Sen and the MLA’s aides went to assist that today and they were unarmed. Shortly, Mondal’s aides, all equipped with firearms attacked the group unprovoked.” They fired in the air for two rounds and hurled several bombs.
Four followers of Adhikari – Bhajan Goswami, Jhantu Sheikh, Amit Mallik and Milon Kundu suffered splinter injuries and were shifted to the BMCH.
Both Adhikari and Mondal refused to comment on the incident.
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