One person was killed and another injured in police firing in Nadia’s Tehatta area on Wednesday morning. This is the second police firing involving protesters that has tarnished the image of the Mamata Banerjee government, which pledged its police would never target defenceless people. Two weeks ago, the police allegedly fired on villagers of Dubrajpur in Birbhum when they tried to stop it forcibly retrieving an earthmover from Loba village. All Opposition parties condemned Wednesday’s incident, saying the police had become trigger-happy.
The Tehatta violence erupted at around 8.15 am. Over 300 people had blocked the Karimpur-Krishnanagar state highway to protest against denial of permission for Jagadhatri Puja at a particular venue. The angry mob reportedly chased the subdivisional police officer, who then sought refuge on the rooftop of a house along with a bodyguard. It was from this rooftop that the police opened fire, in which one person was killed. The mob fury intensified after Ashok Sen, 45, said to be a BJP supporter, was declared brought dead at hospital. The angry crowd set ablaze six police vehicles. A huge police force, including Rapid Action Force personnel, was rushed there.
A major police hunt was later launched in the area to nab the people involved in attacking the police. Several persons have been arrested.