A major clash broke out between CPM activists and police near Curzon Gate in Burdwan town on Wednesday during a “civil disobedience programme” that left at least 200 persons, including law enforcement personnel and women, injured.

CPM state secretary Md Salim addressed a gathering at Nilpur crossing in Burdwan, while another meeting was held near the railway station. Later, both the gatherings marched to the office of the district magistrate where police had set up barricades to keep away the protesters. The CPM claimed that the combined strength of the two meetings was of around 25,000 people.

As the CPM supporters tried to uproot the barricades and march to the district magistrate’s office near Curzon Gate, a clash ensued as the police tried to prevent around 5,000 CPM supporters from inching ahead.

Police sources said CPM workers in large numbers had first tried to break the barricade and mounted an attack on the force with stones. Before the police retaliated, hundreds of CPM workers had pulled down a hoarding of Biswa Bangla logo that had been erected in front of Curzon Gate. The protesters also ransacked an office of local Trinamul MLA Khokan Das and multiple flexes and posters put by the state government.

CPM supporters pull down a hoarding of Biswa Bangla logo during a clash with police at Burdwan town on Wednesday. Picture by Munshi Muklesur Rahaman

CPM leaders, however, said the clash was a result of unplanned police management that failed to control a protest of over 25,000 people.

“This is the fault of the police. One particular officer was provoking our supporters continuously. They fired teargas at us. Many of our workers have been injured; one even has a smashed skull and over 145 have been arrested,” Salim told The Telegraph.

“This was a civil disobedience programme. The police didn’t follow any SOP while dealing with it. In fact, the law enforcers were used by the criminal government to intimidate our movement.”

Asked about the vandalism of public property, Salim said the Biswa Bangla globe and chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s other hoardings had become symbols of corruption and that was why the people had targeted them.

Salim said none of the injured had been admitted to government hospitals because CPM believed the police would arrest them from there.

“We were part of a peaceful protest rally but police did not listen and assaulted us brutally,” said Suparna Nandy, a veteran leader of the party.

Pritha Tah, who unsuccessfully contested from Burdwan South in the 2021 Assembly polls, was seen being pulled up by her hair by the police.

Reacting to the Burdwan incident, Trinamul accused Salim of provoking people to turn violent. “There were no brickbats or stones piled up near Curzon Gate. It proves that CPM workers carried stones to create a law and order problem. We will hold a protest rally in Burdwan town on September 3 against CPM’s violence,” said Trinamul MLA Das.

A police officer said: “We have detained around 160 people so far for violence and attack on police.”