WB-CLASHES

Prohibitory order clamped, internet services snapped in parts
of North 24 Parganas district
    Basirhat (WB), Jan 2 (PTI) Prohibitory order has been
clamped in three panchayat areas of West Bengal's North 24
Parganas district following clashes between members of two
communities triggered by "unnatural" death of a shopkeeper,
police said on Thursday.
In addition to imposition of section 144 of the CrPC,
Internet services have been stopped in Duttapukur, Amdanga and
Deganga areas of the district, a senior police officer said.
    Clashes broke out in Duttapukur area on Tuesday
evening after a shopkeeper was found hanging inside a room of
a local club in Hatkhola area, an officer of the Basirhat
police district said.
Twelve persons have been arrested for their alleged
involvement in the clashes, the IPS officer told PTI.
The club had organised a fair where the shopkeeper
belonging to a particular community of the neighbouring
Kashimpur village had put up a stall, he said.
    The shopkeeper was allegedly beaten up by members of
the club after he had a fight with a woman buyer on Tuesday.
    Later, the shopkeeper was found hanging from the
ceiling in a room of the club, the officer said.
Following this, relatives of the shopkeeper went on a
rampage and vandalised several shops, houses, vehicles besides
setting them on fire in Hatkhola area, he added
They had also put blockades on Jessore road alleging
that the man was killed by the club members, the officer said.
    Late on Tuesday night, a group of men belonging to
another community from Hathkhola, attacked members of the
other group, the police officer said.
    Policemen in large numbers were rushed to the area to
quell the clashes in which bombs were hurled from both the
sides.
Police restored to lathicharge and used tear gas to
control the mob, he said.
Considering seriousness of the situation prohibitory
order under Section 144 of the CrPC was imposed and Internet
services were temporarily disconnected in Duttapukur, Amdanga
and Deganga areas, he said
    The situation is under control now, the officer said.
"We have not revoked prohibitory order there. Internet
services are yet to be resumed. We will conduct a review and
then take a decision on it," the officer said.
A probe has been initiated into the death of the
shopkeeper, the officer said. PTI SCH RG
SNS SNS

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)