West Bengal: Clash between 2 communities triggers tension in Purulia

According to reports, people of two communities engaged in a clash with each other since Saturday morning at Chowk Bazar area in Purulia town.

Several shops, stalls and bikes were ransacked and few of those were set on fire by the fighting groups.

Debasish Dutta, a local man, told IBNS, "This happened first time in Purulia since my birth, I never witnessed such situation before."

"People were fighting with each other, vandalized stalls were lying on the roads, several bikes and goods were burning on streets- Purulia was turned into a battlefield for few hours today," Dutta said.

Later, a heavy police force along with Rapid Action Force (RAF) rushed to the spot and policemen brought the situation under control after dispersing agitators from the area.

A local police official told IBNS, "Two local groups engaged in a skirmish with each other over a local issue. Our force brought the situation under control very fast."

The official, however, claimed that there was no communal violence or tension in Purulia town.

"No particular community or communities was/were involved in the incident as the issue was not religious," the official added.

Police, however, detained over 20 persons for their alleged involvement in the clash, according to reports.

A senior official of Purulia district police said that the situation is completely under control now and a large police force have been posted at the area to avoid any untoward situation further.

However, no casualty has been reported so far in the incident.

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)