Kolkata: BJP, Bajrang Dal activists held for taking out Hanuman Jayanti procession with 'deadly' weapons

According to reports, activists of Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) family of organisations, took out a march to commemorate Hanuman Jayanti at Tala Bridge area on Tuesday, where few local leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were reportedly present.

Police officials claimed that swords and other sharp 'deadly' weapons were carried publicly during the Hanuman Jayanti procession and few right wing activists shouted several 'provocative' slogans, aiming at another community, from the march.

"The rally, where deadly weapons were carried and from which inflammatory remarks and slogans were thrown aiming at another community, triggered tension at Tala Bridge and its adjoining areas," a senior official of Kolkata Police told IBNS.

"A heavy police force were deployed to the area to avoid any untoward incident and after the procession was concluded, we lodged an FIR against the organizers at Chitpur Police Station on suo-motto basis," the official added.

After starting probe into the matter, two local leaders of BJP and four Bajrang Dal activists were arrested from the area at late night.

According to police sources, the six persons have been charged under several non-bailable IPC sections, including 148 (Rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence commit­ted in prosecution of common object) and 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), and section 25(1A) of Arms Act (Whoever acquires, has in his possession or carries any prohibited arms or prohibited ammunition).

However, the arrested men were produced in a city court at Sealdah on Wednesday and were sent to judicial custody till Apr 19.

Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, supporters of VHP affiliated Hindu activists group, Hindu Jagran Mancha (Forum for Hindu Awaking), clashed with police during a Hanuman Jayanti procession at Suri in West Bengal's Birbhum district.

Police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) allegedly lathicharged the Hindu activists for taking out the rally, which was not given permission by the local administration, and booked at least three members of the religious group.  

The arrested were produced in a local court on Wednesday and were remanded to judicial custody for 14 days.

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)