West Bengal: Angry mob attacks cops, sets Ausgram Police Station on fire over land conflict

According to reports, alleging that police were helping in an illegal and unauthorized construction in a local school compound and demanding the removal of local police station's Inspector-in-Charge (IC), teachers and student-guardians of the school staged demonetisation at Ausgram Police Station and blocked a nearby road for hours on Friday.

Following the police arrested two protesters, hundreds of locals attacked Ausgram Police Station on Saturday afternoon.

They allegedly vandalized adjoining police barrack, pelted stones aiming at policemen, set a temporary camp on fire and ransacked police vehicles and motorcycles, parked there.

At least eight policemen, including two civic volunteers, were seriously injured in the attack and rushed to a nearby hospital.

Later, a huge police force along with Rapid Action Force (RAF), led by Burdwan SP Kunal Agarwal, went to the scene and the police force are currently carrying out route march at the area.

"Mob at a large number attacked Ausgram Police Station, injuring few police personnel, in the afternoon and a heavy police force have been deployed there," Burdwan SP Kunal Agarwal told IBNS.

"Police are currently conducting raid at the area to book those persons, involved the attack," Kunal Agarwal added.

Meanwhile, local leaders of Trinamool Congress (TMC) claimed that CPI-M activists were involved in the police station attack.

However, a CPI-M leader denied his party's involvement in the incident.

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha,Image: Wikimedia Commons)