Raniganj violence due to police inaction : Babul Supriyo

Union minister Babul Supriyo today alleged that police inaction was the reason behind the violence in Raniganj which claimed a life and demanded immediate deployment of central forces in the area.

Supriyo said he had called Home Minister Rajnath Singh and requested him to look into the matter.

Clashes had broken out between two groups over a Ram Navami procession yesterday, killing one person and injuring two police officers.

"The violence in Raniganj took place because of police inaction in the area. Had the police acted earlier, it could have been averted. The police acted on behalf of their political masters and allowed the goons to have a free run in the area," the MP from Asansol told reporters here.

A BJP delegation today met West Bengal Governor K N Tripathi here and complained about the clash in Raniganj.

Supriyo said the state government should initiate action to deploy central forces in Raniganj to control the situation as locals did not have faith in the police administration.

"I have informed Rajnathji and requested him to see that central police forces are deployed. But the fact is it is for the state government to ask for central forces," he said.

The Union minister hit out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is on a visit to New Delhi, claiming that she was busy with her political aspirations in the national capital when her own state was burning.

Heavy police force was deployed during the day at Raniganj Bardhaman West district, a district official said.

Peace has been restored with additional police forces patrolling the area, District Magistrate Shashanka Shetty said.

State Labour Minister Moloy Ghatak, who rushed to Raniganj last evening, said a man in his mid 50s was hacked to death during the clashes.

He assured the local people that the situation had been largely brought under control by the police.

Senior TMC minister Partha Chatterjee accused the BJP of trying to divide the people of the state along religious lines.

"But they (the BJP) will never taste success as the people of this state stand for secularism and development," he said.