10 arrested for attacking policemen enforcing lockdown in Howrah

Ten persons were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly assaulting policemen enforcing lockdown in the coronavirus red zone of Howrah district last evening.

According to a senior official of the Howrah police commissionarte, a total of 10 persons have been arrested and three cases under different sections of the Indian Penal Code and other penal laws have been lodged against the accused.

The situation in the area remained peaceful during the day as police patrolled the streets to strictly execute the shutdown in the area.

Two policemen were injured after a mob attacked a police party, enforcing lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus at Tikiapara in Howrah district, a 'red zone'.

The incident took place on Tuesday evening when a police patrol reached Belirius Road at Tikiapara, a minority-dominated area, after receiving information that a large number of people were jostling with each other in a local market, violating the shutdown and social distancing norms.

"The police asked them to return home and that led to an altercation and exchange of blows. The locals then pelted stones at the policemen. Two of our personnel were injured and two vehicles were damaged," a police official had said.

Howrah has recently been declared as one of the four districts falling under the red zone. Around 75 per cent of the state's COVID-19 cases were reported from these districts. The other three such districts are Kolkata, East Midnapore and North 24 Parganas.

The incident has triggered a war of words between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP.

While the TMC said stern action would be taken against the culprits behind the violence, the saffron party alleged the unpleasant episode was due to the state government's "politics of appeasement".