Two groups of Trinamul workers in New Jalpaiguri clashed with each other on Monday.

As a police team reached the spot and intercepted some people, members of the other group attacked them. Amid all this, a policeman got injured, prompting the police to charge the attackers with batons. A police picket has been set up.

According to residents, tension had cropped up within Inttuc supporters, Trinamul’s workers’ front, of the area to gain control of the local truck syndicate that runs in NJP, the largest railway station of north Bengal.

While one of the lobbies of supporters are known to be followed to Prasenjit Roy, a former Trinamul leader who was expelled from the party after an incident of ransacking at the Inland Container Depot in NJP earlier this year, the other lobby represents those against Roy.

“The truck syndicate here is running in a peaceful manner. But these past few days, some people headed by Prasenjit Roy are trying to foment tension here. Today, we got information that they planned an attack at the syndicate office and soon we intercepted a car. There were five persons inside who fled the spot. We have recovered sticks, stones, broken bottles from the vehicle,” alleged Mohammad Alauddin, president of the syndicate.

In NJP, internal clashes among rival lobbies of Trinamul have been witnessed a number of times earlier.

The clashes had also made Jaideep Nandi, a former Trinamul councillor, to leave the party and join BJP. It is only a few days back that Nandi has returned to Trinamul.

After Nandi left BJP, Roy had been controlling the entire area but he too, was expelled from Trinamul.

“Since then, his rival lobby controls the syndicate. Though officially he is not in Trinamul, he still has hundreds of supporters in the area and now it seems that they intend to take control of the syndicate,” said a source.

On Monday, the groups attacked each other with bricks, stones and sticks, beating each other indiscriminately. The clash led to tension outside the station premises, prompting shopkeepers to down their shutters. Some shops and motorcycles were also vandalised

As the news spread, a team from NJP police station arrested some people and were about to put them in a police vehicle when the other group attacked them.

Soon, more police forces reached the area and resorted to lathi-charge. The injured cop is under treatment at Siliguri district hospital.

Five persons have been arrested so far.

Prasenjit, however, has denied the charge. “I have not turned up in the NJP area for months now. I have no inkling as who all were involved in the incident,” he said.

The clash, Trinamul insiders said, has been a loss of face for the party. “Such incidents only tarnish the party’s image. We don’t know when such incidents will stop,” said a senior leader.

Nirjal Dey, the Darjeeling district Inttuc president, was brief in his reaction and said that they are gathering information of the incident.

“The police have started an investigation. We are also obtaining information and if anybody is found guilty, we will take necessary steps,” he said.

Police team attacked

Meanwhile, in another incident, a police team that went to rescue a person who was reported detained by a group of people was attacked at a village under Bansihari police station of South Dinajpur district on Monday.

Monojit Sarkar, inspector-in-charge of the police station and at least four other policemen have suffered injuries. The attackers have also damaged a police vehicle.

Sources said Sheikh, a resident of Tepirdaha village, was having problems with one of his neighbours over some trifle issue. On Monday, a kangaroo court was convened at the village to settle the issue. It was alleged that some people there detained Sheikh and told him that he can’t leave the place unless the issue is resolved.

As police got the information, a team went to the village. This left a section of villagers angry who demanded that the police should leave the spot. Suddenly, they attacked the team which left the policemen injured.

After some time, more police personnel were sent to the area and they brought the situation under control. No arrests have been made so far. Investigations have started.

Additional reporting by Kousik Sen in Raiganj