Cops: Diversion tactic behind Park Circus violence

Kolkata: Five days after violent clashes erupted at the Park Circus seven-point crossing, Kolkata Police has found that the organisers had engineered simultaneous gatherings at two distinct locations to mislead law enforcement.The strategy of the organisers came to light through the FIR that detailed the timeline of the May 17 incident, which left six police personnel injured and multiple public transport and security vehicles heavily damaged. More than 50 individuals have been arrested so far in connection with the violence.The agitation was aimed against the demolition of unauthorised structures in Tiljala and protest against specific regulatory policies. The organisers heavily utilised social media platforms to mobilise crowds, with prominent local figures using live broadcasts to urge locals to take to the streets. People from as far as Bihar and UP, who were in the city on work, were coaxed to join in.Initially, police observed two separate groups of 20 to 25 people assembling simultaneously on Suhrawardy Avenue and across the street near Park Circus Maidan. Senior officers stated that this split gathering was a calculated tactic to divide police attention. When questioned, the demonstrators failed to identify their leadership.Because no official permission had been granted for the demonstration, police initially contained the crowd behind barricades, allowing them a brief window to voice their grievances without disrupting traffic. However, negotiations failed as the crowd rapidly swelled to more than 250 individuals.The situation turned violent when a faction moved toward the Don Bosco Circle and returned with a much larger, aggressive group. The mob stalled traffic completely, including emergency ambulances. Despite repeated warnings over loudhailers declaring the assembly unlawful, the crowd grew defiant. Finally, police had to resort to baton chargeol.