CPM workers in Durgapur scuffled with police on Thursday after their rally protesting Wednesday’s “Trinamool-sponsored vandalism” of their party office and assault on activists, including elderly women, was stopped by law enforcers fearingfresh trouble.

Senior CPM and Citu leader Anadi Sahu, former MP Bansagopal Chowdhury, former MLA Gauranga Chatterjee and DYFI state secretary Minakshi Mukherjee, who were leading the rally, got involved in an argument with the police as they tried topush forward.

Police said they had to stop the CPM rally from passing in front of Sidhu Kanhu indoor stadium at the City Centre as Trinamool was holding a programme there.

“We stopped the CPM rally to prevent any fresh trouble after Wednesday’s incident as a party programme of Trinamool was being held there. But they were not ready to heed us,” said a senior police officer on duty.

Later, the police diverted the rally through the service road of NH-17 but it was again stopped when it tried to head towards Durgapur Municipal Corporation and hold a meeting there.

Police stand on guard as leaders and supporters of the DYFI and the CPM prepare to take out the rally in Durgapur on Thursday.

CPM leaders said that Wednesday’s assault on their rally happened near the corporation. As the police were not ready to let the rally move ahead, another round of scuffle and arguments occurred between the cops andCPM activists.

“Yesterday (Wednesday), Trinamool Congress hooligans beat up our party workers, including women, mercilessly. And when we took out a protest rally today (Thursday), the police prevented us. Mamata Banerjee is scared of the growing mass protests against the RG Kar incident and is trying to suppress people’s voices with the help of the police and Trinamool hooligans,” said DYFI state secretaryMinakshi Mukherjee.

The CPM finally held a public meeting near thecivic body office.

On Wednesday, a group of Trinamool workers,allegedly led by Pankaj Roy Sarkar who recently switched over to the ruling party after the CPM expelled him, “beat up” DYFI, SFI and AIDWA workers holding a rally protesting against the RGKar incident.

Left leaders said five workers, including women, were injured. The CPM party office near the City Centre and several two-wheelers were vandalised. The DYFI also lodged an FIR against Pankaj Roy Sarkar and 15 other Trinamool workers for the assault.

Trinamool leaders, on their part, countered that Left activists attacked them and injured seven oftheir supporters.

Police said they had started a specific case based on the DYFI’s complaint and arrested nine persons so far. “We have arrested nine persons seen in the CCTV footage. Probe is on. We stopped the CPM rally today as it didn’t get permission from us,” said Abhishek Gupta, deputy commissioner of police (east).