By Zaidul Haque, Twocircles.net
Kolkata/Malda : Protests against Hindu Mahasabha leader Kamlesh Tiwari turned violent in Malda after a mob ransacked the Kaliachak Police station and set fire to more than 25 vehicles.
According to reports, more than five thousand people had gathered to protest on the call of Kaiachak-based Muslim organisation Biswa Darbar Sharif against the comments of Tiwari. The protests turned ugly when a mob went on to vandalise the police station before blocking the National Highway 34 at
Chowringhee crossing. To control the mob, the police, it is alleged, fired 15 rounds before calling upon the Rapid Action Force to calm the situation. On Monday evening, Malda SP Prasun Banerjee called a peace meeting with the organisation to discuss the matter.
According to locals, a government transport bus entered the rally while the protests were going on. An argument with the bus driver followed. It was also alleged that a local resident, Gopal Tewary, was fired upon and injured. As a result of the confusion, the mob set ablaze the bus.
Idaraye Taria, Chairman, Biswa Darbar Sharif told Twocircles.net, “We organised a protest convention against the Kamalesh Tiwari’s hate speech to the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) on Sunday around 9 am.
Within two hours, a lot of people had gathered and started a protest rally, demanding that Tiwary be hung for insulting Prophet Mohammed. Around the same time, we heard that a boy had been injured by police bullet. After this, some youth got angry and vandalised the police station.”
Taria claims that miscreants with an aim to malign the Muslim organisation’s image attacked the police station and ransacked so many cars. He also added that they had nothing to do with the vandalism, but added that it was only after the police opened fire that people blocked NH 34.
The Circle Inspector of Kaliachak Police station Subhabrata Ghosh said that police was attacked by the mob, which led to five policemen injured. Some of them are undergoing treatment at Malda Hospital.