At least two persons were allegedly shot dead and several others wounded in clashes that broke out during protest against construction of an electric sub-station in the Bhangar area of South 24 Parganas in West Bengal, reports The Hindu.
The clashes took place during protests against acquisition of land for a power project in Bhangar on Tuesday. Villagers placed tree trunks on road to prevent police vans from entering the village and even set some of them on fire.
Mafizul Khan of Rajarhat died after he was brought to the SSKM hospital with a bullet wound. Police told Indian Express that Khan apparently had a bullet injury in the back and died due to excessive bleeding.
The other person, Alamgeer Sheikh, passed away in hospital after being shot.
Police had to resort to bursting teargas shells and lathicharge to bring the situation under control. A senior police officer said they were attacked by villagers and a few of them were injured by stones and bricks thrown at them.
However, the villagers have alleged that the police resorted to unprovoked lathicharge and teargassing. But Power Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay denied any police action. “Police did not retaliate but only chased away the villagers when stones and bricks were thrown at them,” he said.
(Feature image source for representation/ Source: PTI)