The Siliguri Metropolitan Police has slapped police cases against 13 BJP activists, including a woman, in connection with the party-sponsored bandh in Siliguri yesterday.

The charges include ‘unlawful assembly’, ‘assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty’,’ voluntarily obstruction of any public servant in the discharge of his public functions.

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Police had picked up the 13 persons from Mahatma Gandhi More after they pulled down and tore banners and hoardings of the state government’s flagship ‘Duare Sarkar’ scheme, festoons of chief minister Mamata Banerjee, and also torched them. The incident later led to a clash between BJP and Trinamul Congress workers. The BJP activists also staged a road blockade as they tried to enforce the bandh that had been called against the killing of a party worker, Ulen Roy, on Monday. They allegedly damaged a few vehicles too. Earlier, they took out a rally, allegedly without any permission from the police. Police sources said that despite requests to clear the road, they scuffled with police personnel on duty. They also damaged some traffic barriers.

Police registered the cases, including under sections 143,149, 353, 186 of the Indian Penal Code, and also slapped charges under the West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order Act, 1972.

Trinamul Congress has also filed a police complaint against seven BJP workers.

Meanwhile, an officer at the Bagdogra police station filed a complaint at the Siliguri police station, where she stated that she was forced to get down from her vehicle by BJP supporters on Mahatma Gandhi Road when she was going there to resume her duty yesterday. They allegedly used objectionable language and threatened her of dire consequences. The 13 persons were produced in the Siliguri Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court today. “The court ordered them in 14 days’ judicial custody,” said the assistant public persecutor of the court Sudip Roy Basunia.

Asok flays violence

Meanwhile, senior CPI-M leader Asok Bhattacharya, said violence during a general strike had not been the culture of Siliguri. “This had not been the culture of Siliguri. Political parties peacefully conduct their own programmes. But setting fire, the way Trinamul Congress tore party flags are not good examples. Earlier, police had framed false charges against many, and we also had been arrested. But what the BJP did yesterday and later the Trinamul Congress are against the political tradition in Siliguri,” Mr Bhattacharya said.