Kolkata Violence: FIR against Amit Shah, several BJP leaders detained

The Kolkata police has registered an FIR against BJP president Amit Shah in connection with the violence during his roadshow in the West Bengal capital on Tuesday. 

The police registered two FIRs - one at Jorasanko police station and another at Amherst Street police station - after the clash between the BJP and the TMC supporters Tuesday evening. In the FIR registered at Amherst Street police station on the complaints filed by students of Vidyasagar College and Calcutta University, Amit Shah has been named as an accused.

The students are reportedly affiliated with TMCP, the student outfit of the Trinamool Congress. 

Several BJP leaders were picked up by the police and detained in a midnight crackdown. "Mamata Banerjee ordered midnight crack down on several BJP leaders in Kolkata, who were picked up in the middle of night, without due process of law being followed. Tajinder Bagga and several others are now in TMC’s illegal detention," BJP's IT Cell head Amit Malviya tweeted. 

Bagga, a spokesperson of Delhi BJP, was detained at New Market Police station after being picked up around 3 am in the night. He is being examined and is yet to be arrested, sources said.

BJP and TMC supporters Tuesday fought pitched battles on the streets of Kolkata during a massive roadshow by Amit Shah, who escaped unhurt but was forced to cut short the jamboree and had to be escorted to safety by police.

Parts of the city plunged into a welter of violence as his convoy was attacked with stones by alleged TMC supporters from inside the hostel of Vidyasagar College, triggering a clash between supporters of the two parties, officials said.

Furious BJP supporters retaliated and were seen exchanging blows with their TMC rivals outside the college entrance.

Several motorcycles parked outside were vandalised and set ablaze. Shards of broken glass littered the lobby of the college where a bust of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, a noted philosopher and a key figure of Bengal Renaissance, was smashed to smithreens. Police personnel were seen trying to douse the fire with buckets filled with water.

Contingents of Kolkata Police deployed for the roadshow swung into action and were seen chasing away the warring groups.

(With PTI inputs)