Will take action as and when required; priority is to ensure law and order: WB Police

The West Bengal Police on Saturday said strict action will be taken against people fanning violence in the state and added that maintaining law and order is their top priority.

"We will take all necessary action as and when required. Our priority is to first ensure law and order in the state," said Manoj Kumar Verma, Commissioner of Police.

The statement from the official comes just a day after the local authorities in Bhatpara and Jagatdal imposed Section 144, prohibiting an assembly of more than four persons after one man died and four others were injured in clashes between two groups of miscreants on Thursday.

The deceased has been identified as Rambabu Shaw. During the clashes, the two groups hurled crude bombs at each other and gunshots were also fired.

In response, police resorted to firing teargas shells to bring the situation under control. The injured have been admitted to a private hospital in the area.

"Some anti-social and criminal elements have been active in some pockets of these areas. Some outsider elements have also joined the local anti-social elements in disrupting the normalcy and government finds these developments as seriously exceptional," Alapan Bandhopadhay, Home Secretary, Govt of West Benga told media in the wake of the developments.

"Sanjay Singh, IPS, ADG, South Bengal is given particular charge of the Barrackpore Police Commissionerate with immediate effect. ADG in charge of Barrackpore Commissionerate is rushing to the spot. Section 144 of the CrPC is being promulgated in Bhatpara and Jagatdal police station areas for restoring order in these localities immediately," Bandhopadhay had added.