Police on Saturday arrested nine persons, including two local leaders of Trinamul’s warring factions, for their involvement in the attack on a ruling-party-run gram panchayat office in Birbhum’s Khoirasole on Friday.

Sources in Birbhum police said six persons were arrested for their direct involvement in the clashes and the two local Trinamul level leaders — Abdur Rahaman and Ujjwal Haque Kaderi — were arrested in two other cases.

“This is the first time that leaders of two Trinamul factions were arrested within 24 hours of a clash in the district,” said a source.

“The clash exposed the internal rivalry and the ruling party wanted to send out a strong message to the rival camps and that's why these arrests were made,” the source added.

Two groups of people belonging to two rival factions of the Trinamul Congress clashed over the control of the Babuijore gram panchayat in Birbhum on Friday afternoon.

At least hundred crude bombs were hurled at the two-storey panchayat building during the clash.

Sources said the factions were allegedly led by Rahaman and Kaderi, presidents of the party in neighbouring Babuijore and Borrha gram panchayats, who have been at loggerheads over the last couple of years over the control of the area.

Police sources said that Kaderi was arrested from Suri under the Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act as drugs were recovered from him.

Rahaman, along with his one of his aides, was arrested under the Arms Act as a firearm was recovered from the duo.

“The two leaders were produced in Suri district court... Kaderi was sent in police custody for five days and Rahaman for four days,” said a source.

The other six who were produced in Dubrajpur court were sent to eight days of police custody.