Hundreds of BJP activists on Wednesday took part in the party’s march to Kolkata Police Headquarters in West Bengal but were stopped midway by the police who used batons, fired water cannons and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the mob.
The party workers clashed with the police as they moved forward to the Kolkata Police Headquarters in Lalbazar.
The massive rally was organised by the party in protest against post-poll violence and alleged killing of its workers and supporters.
As the BJP activists jostled to reach the Bowbazar crossing in the city, police resorted to firing tear gas shells and water cannons to disperse them.
In retaliation, the saffron party workers raised slogans and hurled stones and bottles at the officers.
Some of the party workers were seen holding a sit-in demonstration in the area in protest.
The saffron party workers, along with 18 newly elected MPs in the state, including BJP state president Dilip Ghosh, were marching towards the Kolkata Police headquarters in Lalbazar from the Wellington area of the city.
Bengal’s BJP minder Kailash Vijayvargiya and senior party leader Mukul Roy also joined the march.
Post-poll violence has been reported from various places of West Bengal after the BJP secured 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state, just four less than that of the TMC.
The BJP had on Sunday accused the TMC workers of killing three of its workers during the clashes that broke out on Saturday in the Najat area of Basirhat’s Sandeshkhali.
Four people had lost their lives in post-poll clashes in Bhangipara, Hatgacha in North 24 Parganas on Saturday.
Workers of BJP and TMC had clashed over taking off party flags, leading to injuries on both sides. Besides three BJP workers, one TMC supporter was also reportedly died.
Following the killing of its workers and the “deteriorating” law and order situation in the state, the BJP had observed Monday as “Black Day” and a 12-hour shutdown in North 24 Parganas district’s Basirhat subdivision.
In 2017, BJP had held another march to the city Police Headquarters, during which a large number of BJP workers clashed with police leading to chaotic scenes on the streets.
In a bid to curb any untoward incident this time, security had been beefed up at all major crossings, while Lalbazar was turned into a fortress since morning.
Barricades were put up at all the important junctures across the nine possible entry points to Lalbazar.