BJP rally created chaos in planned way, over 21 cops injured: Kolkata Police

"When BJP took permission to hold the rally, they told us that it would be peaceful. But what we noticed today, they created chaos in a planned way and went on rampage at Tea Board and Phears Lane areas," Sarkar said at a media briefing.

"They (BJP) threw bricks and stones indiscriminately in an unprovoked attack. They hurled a patrol bomb aiming at cops at Tea Board, we have seized that. Few BJP activists, gathered in front of its party office at Central Avenue had suddenly started brick batting aiming at us," said he.

Arson, bombing and violent clashes marked the day  as BJP took out a raaly to protest several issues, including demanding an immediate arrest of sacked controversial Imam of Kolkata's Tipu Sultan Mosque- Maulana Barkati.

Sarkar said, "Car of Armhers Street PS's OC was burnt at Phears Lane and  at least three other government vehicles were ransacked by the agitators. Several properties of Central Metro Station were damaged as well."

Police used teargas shells, water canons besides batons to disperse the mobs. Bombs also went off in the march. BJP MP Roopa Ganguly said her party workers were marching towards city Police headquarter  to submit a deputation peacefully when they were attacked. BJP central leader and national secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya was also in the march.

At least three massive rallies, led by several BJP leaders, started from College Square and Esplanade area in Kolkata and Howrah station area in its twin city Howrah in the afternoon. Setting up barricades, police stopped the rallies at Phears Lane, Bentinck Street-Ganesh Chandra Avenue crossing and Tea Board areas respectively.

BJP supporters engaged in a scuffle with the police force at Bentinck Street and police restored to  lathicharge to disperse protesters.

BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha and party's Rajya Sabha MP Roopa Ganguly fell sick due to the skirmish with police and later they were arrested.

Clashes broke out in College Square and Tea Board areas too. Each area turned into a battlezone with police resorting to lathis and mobs throwing stones.

Sarkar informed that police booked 141 BJP activists and leaders, including Kailash Vijayvargiya, Dilip Ghosh, Rahul Sinha, Roopa Ganguly, Locket Chatterjee and Jayprakash Majumder, for their involvement in the clash.

"We are examining clash's footage and our review/screening process is underway. We will lodge non-bailable cases against those who were directly involved in the massacre," he said.

"Cases will be lodged at Bowbazar, Jorasanko, Burrabazar and Hare Street Police Stations," the joint CP announced.

Few journalists were also beaten up by police today again, even after wearing safety jackets, provided by the city police.

Police alleged that BJP agitators threw crude bombs aiming at police force.

Due to the rally, traffic in central and north parts of the city was partly disrupted for hours.

BJP leaders claimed that over 50 of their supporters were injured in the clash while over 50 agitators, including party's top leaders, have been detained by the police here.

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)