Two injured, 1500 arrested in Bangla Bandh

Kolkata, Oct 9 (UNI) At least two people were injured in police lathi charge and more than 1500 Trinamool Congress and SUCI activists arrested from different parts of the state during the first few hours of 12-hour statewide bandh in West Bengal today.

Police resorted to lathicharge to quell violent bandh supporters at Naabazar area near Arambagh in Hooghly district, while more than 1500 Trinamool and SUCI supporters were arrested in different parts of the state for obstructing traffic and resorting to demonstrations.

Reports reaching the state police headquarters here said the Police resorted to lathi-charge when a section of Bandh supporters at Nabazar suddenly turned violent and set fire to two state government buses. Both the injured were taken to nearby hospital for treatment.

Barring this and several other minor incidents of protests in which more than 1500 AITC and SUCI supporters courted arrest, the overall situation in the state in the wake of the dawn-to-dusk bandh from 0600 hours has so far remained peaceful.

While 32 Trinamool Congress and SUCI supporters were taken into custody by the police after both the parties took out separate processions near Hazra and Rashbehari crossings in South Kolkata, hundreds of their party colleagues courted arrests in Howrah, Murshidabad, Jalpaiguri, Coochbehar and several others in North and South Bengal districts.

Police also resorted to lathi-charge after Youth Congress supporters staged demosntrations and put up a blockade on Howrah bridge.

However, since the state administration had made elaborate security arrangements, there was no report of any major bandh related violence from any part of the state so far.

Incidentally, though the Trinamool Congress and the SUCI had given separate calls for the 12 hour bandh, protesting against the alleged forceful acquisition of farm land at Singur for the Tata's proposed small car unit project, it was actively supported by the Congress, BJP, Samajwadi party and the CPI-(ML) Liberation.

On the contrary, all constituents of the ruling Left Front, including the CPI, CPI-M, Forward Bloc and the RSP have decided to oppose it ''peacefully''.

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