Violence sparked in Jalpaiguri town on Wednesday late evening as CPM and Trinamul supporters clashed in front of the district CPM office.

Police rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control. At least 15 persons, including some policemen, got injured in the incident. Five CPM leaders have been arrested.

Sources said a group of Trinamul Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) supporters had taken out a rally in protest of the death of a student at Jadavpur University.

While the rally was moving through DBC Road from Kadamtala to Thana More, a section of TMCP supporters allegedly tried to get into the district SFI office which is located in the district CPM office that is along the road.

This made the SFI supporters, who were there in the office, react. Both sides attacked each other with bricks and sticks.

As the news spread, a team from Kotwali police station, which is nearby, rushed to the spot. Due to the brick-batting, some policemen also got injured.

The police managed to disperse both sides and soon after, arrested five CPM leaders, including the party’s state committee member and trade union leader Ziaul Alam. They were standing in front of the district CPM office when the violence occurred.

Later at night, TMCP leaders filed a complaint with the police, naming 11 persons for organizing the attack on them. The police have also registered a suo motu case of the incident, said sources.

Today, all five leaders were produced at a local court. The court heard the case and ordered four days of judicial custody for them.

Such arrests of CPM leaders have left repercussions across the town. This morning, TMCP supporters demonstrated in front of the police station, demanding arrests of some SFI workers who they alleged were involved in the attack.

“We were walking in the rally when SFI supporters pelted bricks at us without any provocation. They then attacked us with sticks and even the police,” said Subhajit Ghosh, the convener of TMCP’s Jalpaiguri town block committee.