The lid on the underlying simmering tension in the run-up to the rural body polls in Bhangar, one of south Bengal’s political hotspots, was blown off on Tuesday morning when the hamlet assumed the look of a full-fledged battleground between the Trinamul Congress and Indian Secular Front (ISF) workers with the police, vastly outnumbered, caught in between and initially forced to retreat.

Crude bombs were hurled with liberty, allegedly from both sides, alongside bricks and glass bottles which were used as missiles. Countless two wheelers, mostly belonging to TMC workers who fled the area, and multiple four-wheelers were found ransacked and destroyed in the Bijoygunge Bazar area, the epicenter of violence.

Both warring sides alleged that firearms were used by their opponents during the clashes. At least one ISF supporter, Bahauddin Mollah, was admitted to hospital with bullet injuries. Eyewitnesses claimed spent cartridges of country-made pistols were recovered from the spot.

Police firing tear gas shells in Bhangar to disperse the rampaging mob.

The violence broke out when ISF workers and candidates were allegedly stopped by the Trinamul from reaching the local BDO office in Bhangar Block II to file nominations for panchayat polls on the fourth day of the nomination submission window. The area is reportedly dominated by Trinamul leader Arabul Islam. ISF workers alleged that bombs were lobbed at them by Trinamul supporters at the Bijoygunge Bazar and the Kanthalia Bus Stand areas under Kashipur PS area of Bhangar. The situation quickly spiraled out of control when crude bombs, bricks and glass bottles were hurled back by the ISF. Police vehicles were also targeted.

Police resorted to lathi charge and fired tear gas shells to disperse the mob but had to beat a retreat initially in the wake of the incessant bombing. Later, reinforcements were moved into the area from the Baruipur district police hub who took control over the region and conducted route marches and raids to nab the culprits. Injuries were reported among supporters of both parties and several police personnel, including IC Kashipur, were badly hurt.

The acute law and order disruption in Bhangar took place barely hours before Trinamul national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee’s pre-panchayat mass outreach rally, Naba Jowar Yatra, was scheduled to reach the area.

Shops and establishments at the Bijoygunj Bazar and Kanthalia quickly downed shutters bringing normal economic activities in the region to a complete halt. Local residents alleged that ISF supporters, while making counter attacks, also ransacked ordinary houses during their hunt for TMC workers who may have taken shelter in them.

ISF leader and Bhangar MLA Naushad Siddiqui alleged that the Trinamul resorted to violence to prevent ISF candidates from filing nominations. “Our party doesn’t support any kind of violence. They opened fire on our workers and the police did little to stop them. They wanted to stop us from reaching the BDO office. Let there be a fair investigation into today’s violence and let the real culprits be punished,” Siddiqui said.

While Trinamul Congress denied involvement in the alleged attack, party’s MLA from the adjacent Canning Purba constituency Sahukat Mollah alleged that the violence was orchestrated by the ISF to disrupt Banerjee’s scheduled programme later in the day.

A crude bomb was also found inside the glove box of a vehicle belonging to Hakimul Islam, Arabul’s son and local TMC leader, which was also found vandalized a little distance away from Bijoygunge Bazar. The leader alleged that the bomb was planted in his car by ISF-sheltered miscreants rubbishing ISF allegations that Islam himself led the attack from his car.

Pushpa, police superintendent of the South 24 Parganas district, later confirmed that despite the trouble the nomination process of the day could be completed. While two prison van loads of suspected perpetrators of violence, mostly ISF supporters, were picked up from the spot, police were yet to disclose the number of arrests till reports last received. Police also remained tight-lipped on why the prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC proved completely ineffective despite it remaining clamped in and around the BDO office.

The state election commission has sought a detailed report of the violence from the district administration and directed district authorities to fortify the area with additional police force.