Police arrest 10 and patrol area hrs after violence; three FIRs filed

Kolkata: Hours after bombs were hurled, bullets fired, cars – including police vehicles – vandalised, and brickbatting was carried out at Panchanantala Road at Kankulia on Sunday evening, police arrested 10 persons in connection with the violence."The arrested individuals are aged between 18 and 38," said cops. "Five of the accused are residents of the Rabindra Sarobar Police Station area, while the others are from the Kasba Police Station area," said Joint CP (Crime & Traffic) Rupesh Kumar.
Following the incident, three FIRs were filed. Among them was a suo motu case, initiated regarding the vandalism of the police vehicle. Sources said the crackdown began post-midnight, and multiple raids across Kasba, Dhakuria, Picnic Garden, Tiljala, Topsia and Pragati Maidan continued, said cops.On Monday, a large police team was deployed at the spot. Besides the Rabindra Sarobar police, officers from the detective department and the armed battalions also manned the area. At least 20 CCTV camera footage was preserved, and they are being studied for leads and evidence, said cops.Kolkata Police commissioner Supratim Sarkar said, "No one will be spared in this incident. Ten people have been arrested. Both raids and patrolling have continued through the night," he told the media while visiting a Madhyamik centre on Monday.According to locals, the probe revealed that the trouble started around 8.30 pm on Sunday. Around 150 locals went to Uchchhepota off Basanti Highway that was sponsored by local promoter Bapi Haldar, widely believed to be the ‘target' of the Sona Pappu gang. Locals claimed that more than 100 miscreants, with their faces covered, stormed the area even as their children were playing outside and picnickers were still loitering around. There were reports of gunfire and bomb-throwing around 10m from Haldar's office, and attacks with sharp weapons. Police vehicles and locals' bikes were vandalised, and bricks were thrown. The police reportedly recovered bullet shells and bomb materials from the scene.At least two people were injured during the attack.