Baduria: Three policemen were injured in a clash with locals who were protesting in Baduria area in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Wednesday,alleging that they were not given relief materials amid the lockdown, officials said.
Residents of Daspara in Baduria were protesting since morning over relief materials and blocked a road in the area, they said. A police contingent arrived at the spot in the afternoon and tried to pacify the protesters, officials said.
The police urged the protesters to return to their homes and assured them that they will be delivered essential items. However, the protest went on, provoking the police to 'use force', they said.
Soon after, a scuffle broke out between the locals and police. The local people also hurled stones at the policemen,officials said. The police then baton-charged the protesters to bring the situation under control, they said.
Three policemen and some locals were injured in the incident, officials said.
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State food supplies minister Jyotipriyo Mullick said the incident happened after a local councillor told people of the area that they will be provided additional relief materials.
"After I came to know about the incident, I enquired about it and found that all families in the area have received the free ration being provided by the state government. The trouble happened after the local councillor who promised some relief materials in his personal capacity failed to provide it to all the families," he said.
Mullick, also the Trinamool Congress's district president, said he has asked the Block Development Officer to provide relief materials to the people who were protesting.(PTI COPY)
