Police averted a major clash with timely intervention here on Thursday. A dispute started after a section of CAA NRC protesters tried to hold a "Maha Dharna" at Aam Bagan ground in Sakchi. The clash started after local administration had refused permission for the programme.
The CAA-NRC protesters under the Samvidhan Bachao Sangharsh Samiti (SBSS) had erected structures for setting up a massive tent at the ground since last night.
As SBSS activists, including women had already started gathering at the ground to participate in dharna, more than 200 CAA-NRC supporters also reached at the ground and started protesting against the dharna.
Despite deployment of police force, SBSS activists started organising the Maha Dharna programme despite being denied permission, the CAA-NRC supporters demanded the Dhalbhum, sub-divisional officer, Chandan Kumar to vacate the ground and declare Section 144 for restricting anyone to hold any meeting there.
As the police tried to pacify both the groups, some of the SBSS activists started shouting slogans against CAA-NRC, triggering anger from the opponent side.
The situation became tensed when, one of the SBSS supporters went over to the spot where the CAA-NRC supporters were gathered and asked them to leave the place immediately. But as soon as the SBSS activist said so, the rival group surrounded him and thrashed, causing uproar at the ground. Instantly, a police party which was already stationed at the ground picked up the youth and removed him away, apprehending trouble. Subsequently, the SDO, Dhalbhum called in more police and increased security at the ground, forcing all, including the SBSS activists to vacate the ground.
Superintendent of police (city) Subhash Chandra Jat said that the administration had refused permission for it a day ago but a section of people claiming to be SBSS activists had tried to hold Maha Dharna.
" The situation came close to clash when a section of SBSS activists opposing the CAA-NRC had started gathering at the Aam Bagan ground, the CAA-NRC supporters also started assembling there to foil the programme which was being held without orders. As there was arrangement of police, we did not allow the face-off between the pro and anti CAA-NRC to take an ugly turn. We tried to pacify both the groups," said Jat.
The City SP said they are looking into the whole affair and are contemplating to register cases under Section 107 of the CrPC against both the SBSS activists as well as the CAA-NRC supporters for creating a chaotic situation at the Aam Bagan ground.
Sakchi police station OC, Kunal Kumar said activists of both SBSS and CAA-NRC supporters have lodged complaints against each other with the police station. He said they have deployed security personnel at the ground.
