Kolkata: 1 dead as villagers clash with cops over powercuts

Locals said that they had organised an agitation demanding steps to correct the highly irregular electricity supply to Jhikra village and the police had opened fire on them. The deceased, identified as Jamal Sheikh (28), was a resident of Balidapukur. While protesters claimed he was hit by a bullet fired by policemen, the police maintained he was killed in firing by members of the mob. Jamal was rushed to a hospital in Jangipur where he declared brought dead on arrival.

Anuj Sharma, ADG (Law and Order), said Jamal’s body, with multiple injuries on the back, was found at a distance of around 200 metres from the spot where the clash took place. “It was not clear if he was injured by bullets or bomb splinters. He could have been injured while locals attacked the police or when he was trying to flee the spot,” Sharma said.

Hundreds of villagers squatted on the highway on Sunday morning protesting against the non-availability of power, resulting in a traffic jam. A team from Farakka police station arrived at the spot to disperse the crowd. When the villagers refused to lift the blockade, a heated argument followed.

An irate mob then started pelting stones at the police and damaged two of their vehicles. Fifteen buses and a car of a local government official were also damaged.

Initially, the police resorted to lathicharge, but later, they too started pelting stones at the mob, said sources.

The police also claimed that villagers had hurled crude bombs at them. Samir Ranjan Lala, OC of Farakka police station, had received a head injury while eight other police officers had sustained injuries.

Though the police were initially outnumbered, additional force arrived later.

“The mob had gone unruly, so we had to fire three rounds in the air. But the one who died had been behind by hundreds of others. So, it is unlikely that he died of a bullet injury,” said Murshidabad Additional SP Angshuman Lala.

The crowd thinned a bit after 1 pm, but the area remained tense till late in the day.