Bharat Bandh: Sporadic incidents of violence noticed across Bengal

Kolkata, Jan 08: Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from various parts of West Bengal on Wednesday during the 24 hours strike called by the trade union activists backed by Left and Congress members against the Centre's "anti-people" policies. A bus was vandalised in Cooch Behar, West Bengal this morning.

According to PTI, the protesters who called the strike blocked rail and roads in several parts of the state affecting normal life.

Protesters burnt tyres to block roads in various parts of the East Burdwan district, besides staging a sit-in on railway tracks, affecting train services in the sector.

In East Midnapore district, stones were pelted at buses, a bus was vandalised in Cooch Behar. Clashes ensued, when police tried to remove protesters, following which several strikers were reportedly arrested.

The protesters tried to break past barricades in Kolkata's Jadavpur and Central Avenue areas, prompting police to use of force. Several strikers were held, they said to PTI.

In Dum Dum and Lake Town areas, clashes broke out between Left supporters, who took out rallies in support of the strike, and TMC supporters who were opposing it.

According to reports, crude bombs were found on various roads in Barasat area of the North 24 Paraganas district. A huge police contingent deployed to control the situation in the areas, the police said.

But police removed strikers who took out rallies in the industrial belt of the district and blocked roads and railway tracks. Daily commuters and office-goers across the state had a harrowing experience as the number of vehicles plying on the roads was much less than other days.

Heavy police deployment was seen in several areas of the city, including in Tollygunge, Behala, Esplanade and Jadavpur.

The ruling Trinamool Congress also took out rallies opposing the strike at some places in north Bengal and urged people to maintain normalcy.

The strike has been called by trade unions INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, UTUC, along with various sectoral independent federations and associations.