By IANS
Kolkata : The local administration in a district of West Bengal clamped curfew after tensions ran high following a clash between a group of traders and a section of local residents Monday.
The situation went out of control in Panchla area of Howrah district as an infuriated mob and the local traders started throwing stones at one another, injuring more than 30 people, including 10 policemen. Nearly 40 shops were set on fire during the clashes.
“The situation was tense since Sunday night after an altercation between a jeweller and a local resident. But things went out of control as a number of outsiders pitched in. They ransacked a number of shops in a market complex and set them ablaze,” Howrah district police Superintendent Niraj Kumar Singh said.
“We are trying to bring back normalcy in the area. A large number of policemen and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel have been deployed to combat the situation. We are also trying to nab those involved in the clash,” Singh said.
The district administration has also called a meeting of all parties involved to restore normalcy, the police said.