Burdwan: 57 people were arrested on Monday after clashes in West Bengal's Burdwan district that left at least 25 people, including five policemen, injured. The clashes were between factions of the Trinamool party, triggered by rival bids to head the local panchayat samiti board.
Trouble started around 10 am at Budbud when the Paresh Pal group allegedly kidnapped six supporters of the rival Janardan Chatterjee group. The Janardan group launched an attack on the Paresh group, hurling bombs and chasing them with lathis. A group of about 40 policemen arrived on the spot to try and break up the clash. But they were caught in between and the two warring groups hurled bombs and stones at them.
It took almost five hours to bring the situation under control with the police arresting 52 people from the Janardan group and five from the Paresh group. The police has filed several cases against them, including attacking police, bombing, unlawful assembly and preventing government servants from doing their duty.
The Janardan group claims there were three women among the six allegedly kidnapped and that five other women were molested. Police sources say they are looking into the allegation but believe the six kidnapped person got away when the Janardhan group attacked the Paresh group.
