Fresh stone pelting in Bengal's Hooghly; train services affected

The fresh incident of stone-pelting was reported in West Bengal's Hooghly district on Monday evening, forcing railways to suspend all local and mail express train services operating to and from Rishra Railway Station.

According to Easter Railway Chief Public Relations Officer, Kaushik Miron, an incident of stone pelting occurred at Rishra Railway Station.

"For the security of common people, all local and mail express train services have been suspended on Howrah-Bardhaman Main Line," he said.

However, the train service resumed a few hours later.

"Train movement was suspended in the Howrah-Bandel section from 10.06 pm due to stone pelting at Rishra. The services resumed at 01.07 am when the situation improved. Train service in Howrah - Bandel, Howrah - Burdwan section is normal now," ANI quoted Kausik Mitra, CPRO, Eastern Railway, in a tweet.

Police and rapid action force (RAF) have been deployed in the area to prevent any untoward incident or violence, sources informed ANI.

It comes a day after clashes erupted during the BJP's Shobha yatra in Hooghly on Sunday evening.

Later, the West Bengal government imposed prohibitory orders and suspended the internet.

BJP vice-president Dilip Ghosh said that stones were hurled at them when people were walking peacefully to the Jagannath temple. Pursurah BJP MLA Biman Ghosh was injured in the violence, he said.

"Medinipur MP Dilip Ghosh and Pursurah MLA Biman Ghosh were present in the procession that was attacked. It was going through the traditional route when a group started throwing stones at it. We took immediate steps to address the situation," a senior officer of the Chandannagar Police Commissionerate was quoted as saying.

At least 12 persons have been arrested for indulging in vandalism and setting cars ablaze.

Violence had first broke out on Thursday evening between two groups when a Ram Navami procession was taken out in the twin city of Howrah. Several vehicles, including some belonging to the police, were torched and shops and auto-rickshaws were ransacked during the violence.

A day later, a stone pelting incident was reported.

The incidents of violence have led to a war of words between the ruling TMC and the BJP.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Governor CV Anand Bose curtailed his programme in Darjeeling and is on his way to Kolkata after receiving information about fresh violence in Hooghly last night.

With inputs from agencies