Post-Ram Navami fresh violence erupts in Bengal's Hooghly

Kolkata, April 4

Fresh violence has erupted at the Rishra police station in West Bengal's Hooghly district following railway services at the busy Howrah-Burdwan main division of Eastern Railways during the same time period.

Several pockets in the Rishra area turned into virtual battlefields on late Sunday evening following clashes over the Ram Navami procession there.

Although, despite the situation continuing to remain tense in the Rishra area throughout the day, there were no reports of fresh clashes till late Monday evening.

At around 10:30 p.m. on Monday, the situation became tense near the Rishra railway station when a group of people starting throwing large crude bombs in the railway gate near the station.

Some of the miscreants started pelting stones on the trains passing though the railway track and even torched a vehicle near the railway station.

Following this fresh violence, train services were completely suspended and railway services at the busy Howrah-Burdwan main division were suspended.

Thousands of passengers were stranded at the Howrah station till the time the report was filed.

The passengers protested and alleged that the railway authorities had been unable to provide any information about when the normal train services will resume.

Meanwhile, at Rishra a huge police contingent led by the Commissioner of Chandernagore City Police, Amit P. Javalgi, and the Deputy Inspector General of Police (Burdwan range) Shyam Singh have started area domination in the region. They are being accompanied by the Rapid Action Force personnel.

Till the time the report was filed there had been police force personnel who had started route marches through lanes in the region for the purpose of area domination.

The Chief Public Relations Officer of Eastern Railways, Kaushik Mitra, clearly said that train services cannot be resumed unless the situation is completely under control.

"We cannot risk the lives of the passengers," he added.