Protest over power cuts turns violent in West Bengal's Malda, 26 held

Manikchak (WB), Jul 18 (PTI) Six people, including three police personnel, were injured as a protest by locals over frequent power cuts turned violent in West Bengal's Malda district on Thursday, officials said.

Protesting frequent power cuts in the area, locals blocked the state highway at Enayatpur in Manikchak in the morning, causing a traffic snarl that stretched for kilometres, they said.

When police went to clear the road for traffic, they refused to lift the blockade and started hurling stones at the personnel, SP Pradeep Kumar Yadav said.

The mob also vandalised police vehicles, he said.

In the face of the fury, the police team took shelter at a nearby house but when the mob was about to set it on fire, they fired one round in self-defence, Yadav said.

"There were several people in the house. To save those people and themselves, one round was fired in self-defence. Three villagers were injured," he said.

Twenty-six people were detained in connection with the attack on the police and raids were continuing in the area, the SP said.

MoS for Irrigation Sabina Yeasmin, who is the MLA of Mothabari in Malda, said she did not support firing by the police and there would be an investigation into the circumstances leading to the violence.

"It is a fact that people in several villages in Manikchak have been suffering due to power disruptions over the last one month amid the extreme hot and humid weather. The elderly people and children have been the most affected. But taking the law into hands, vandalising property and attacking the police will not solve the problem," she said.

"We have to find out who incited the mob and who opened fire on the mob," she added.

Yeasmin also met the injured persons at the hospital.

Meanwhile, Power Minister Aroop Biswas claimed. the allegations of frequent power cuts in the area are not true.

"Power cuts have become a thing of the past under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee," he said.

Biswas said that due to objections, three towers for a 132-kv high-tension line could not be put up at Englishbazar which would have ensured a round-the-clock electricity supply to Manikchak.

"Eighty-six towers have already been put up but work for only three remains incomplete. Once all 89 towers are put up and commissioned, there will be no disruption in the power supply. We urge the people to extend all help to the Power Department to execute the project," he said. PTI CORR SUS SOM