Residents of Kuchaidanga village in Nadia district’s Hogolberia, who were allegedly lathicharged by police in a mask awareness drive, reportedly retaliated by thrashing the men in uniform and hurling stones at their vehicles.

Angered at the “random police lathicharge” that severely injured a man and a woman, they lashed out at the cops. Five cops suffered mild injuries and at least three police vehicles were vandalised. The policemen, who were taken to Karimpur rural hospital, were released after primary treatment.

However, Kuchaidanga residents Newton Akhtar Khan, 27, and Masuda Biwi, 32, were seriously injured in the police lathicharge on villagers that provoked the attack on the police, residents alleged. Khan and Biwi had to be rushed to the Berhampur Medical College and Hospital.

Around 11.30am, a team of Hogolberia police started an awareness drive in the village to ensure people wore masks amid the pandemic. Central forces accompanied the police.

Sources said villagers were angered when police began a “random lathicharge”. Not all victims of police caning were without masks, they said.

“People panicked when a police vehicle began chasing them. They (the police) were thrashing people with sticks mercilessly when a man wearing a mask was injured. The police did not spare women also,” said a villager. “The police beat up a youth resting at home while on Ramazan fast. Homemaker Masuda Biwi faced police brutality in the name of mask awareness drive and is hospitalised,” another villager alleged.

Police refuted the allegations. “Some people roaming without masks got into an argument with the police and refused to obey safety measures. The heated argument led to some villagers attacking cops. It was an unprovoked attack as the police were trying to enforce Covid safety protocols,” a senior police officer of Krishnagar police district said.

Police have started a case on the alleged attack on cops and government vehicles. Till evening no one was arrested.