Sporadic incidents mark ‘North Bengal bandh’ of BJP

PRASHANT ACHARYA, EOI, SILIGURI, APRIL 28 2023: The 12 hour ‘North Bengal Bandh’ called by the BJP on Friday against alleged atrocities on the tribal community was marked by clashes between the police and bandh supporters in some places in Siliguri. Normal life was partially affected  in  most  parts  of Uttar Dinajpur and six other districts of north Bengal.

In Siliguri, there was a mixed response to the bandh. Some shops and business establishments remained closed.  

Traffic was thin on the road. The tea gardens in north Bengal remained open, with the majority of the workers reporting for duty. There was tension in Hashmi Chawk of Siliguri with BJP supporters accused of attacking a government bus. BJP MLAs Sankar Ghosh and Anandamoy Barman were arrested when they tried to disrupt traffic. 

BJP supporters blocked  the police van which tried towhisk the two MLAs away by lying down on the road The police resorted to a lathicharge in the place.Clashes between the police and bandh supporter took place at Panitanki, Bagdogra, Mahabirstan and a few other places in Siliguri. BJP supporters in Jalpaiguri and Siliguri blocked trains for some time, but were removed after the intervention of the police.

Several BJP supporters holding sit-in demonstrations on different highways were arrested. Protestos damaged two buses operated by the NBSTC in the Cooch Behar district.

People preferred to remain indoors in many places. A total of 11 persons were arrested from  different parts of the eight districts of north Bengal. In Tufanganj and Chakir bazar in Cooch Behar, Trinamool Congress supporters opposing the bandh and BJP supporters got involved in a scuffle.

Trinamool Congress organized rallies against the bandh  in  some  places  and urged people to  keep life normal