12 injured in trade union clashes at Petrapol,trade affected

Bangaon, Apr 12 (UNI) Clashes between rival trade union groups left at least 12 injured in North 24 Parganas' Petrapol area, suspending international trade for more than two hours today.

While four of the injured were admitted to Bangaon sub-divisional hospital, one of them was referred to city hospital, police said.

The clash occurred when a group of workers, having allegiance to Bharatiya Majdoor Sangh trade union, attacked a rival group having allegiance to CITU. Both the groups operate in this area.

CITU unit here had claimed that seven of their men were injured, while BMS claimed that five of their people have also sustained injuries in the clash.

Official sources said that this situation was initiated by a group of labourers, having allegiance to BMS, demanding jobs of loading and unloading sharing from the groups already engaged in the job, which the latter objected.

An amicable settlement was made, following intervention of sub-divisional authorities in the recent past to engage at least 12 such labourers from the BMS group for the job by turn.

Incidentally, BMS workers alleged that they had been humiliated and attacked by the rival group by pelting stones from time to time and today's clashes were a repurcussion of that.

Police said that no arrests have been made, however, a couple of FIRs have been lodged by the warring groups.

Sub-Divisional Officer Subhendu Ghosh said that the concerned trade union leaders would be summoned to bring about an end to the existing disputes, which time and again hindered international trade.

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