Several injured as violence continues in Bengal

Kolkata, June 1 (IANS) Several persons were injured as clashes between workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the ruling Trinamool Congress continued in West Bengal, police said on Saturday.

Activists of both sides were beaten up while incidents of ransacking houses and damage to vehicles were reported across districts.

Over a dozen people were injured in a clash between workers of the BJP and Trinamool in North 24 Parganas Madhyamgram area after supporters of the saffron parties were allegedly forced not to raise slogans of 'Jai Shri Ram', police said.

Trinamool supporters held a protest demonstration against the alleged "hooliganism" against the BJP in front of the local police station.

In South 24 Parganas' Canning area, a couple was threatened and beaten up by some miscreants backed allegedly by Trinamool for supporting the BJP during the campaign of the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls.

BJP Mahila Morcha supporters in Hooghly's Tarokeswar on Saturday accused local Trinamool leaders of attacking them during a meeting, held in front of local municipality office.

"They attacked and abused our members during a meeting. They were angry because the BJP took lead from Tarokeswar, falling under Arambag Lok Sabha constituency which was though retained by Trinamool by a slender margin," said a local member of BJP's Mahila Morcha.

Trinamool, however, denied such allegations.

A Trinamool party office was vandalised allegedly by BJP activists in East Medinipur district's Khejuri, notorious for political violence, and police vehicles were damaged by the agitators.

"Clashes between two groups erupted intermittently and two our vehicles were attacked. Two persons have been arrested," police said.

State ruling party supporters alleged that bombs were hurled while houses of their activists and party offices were vandalised and flags were torn allegedly by the BJP supporters on Friday night in Birbhum district's Parui.