Howrah News Service -  Latest news and headlines on Howrah,West Bengal and World: Congress leaders detained for enforcing bandh in Panchla

Congress leaders detained for enforcing bandh in Panchla
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LOCALCORRESPONDENT on 15 March, 2008 07:48:00
 
Two local Congress leaders were arrested for forcibly enforcing bandh in Panchla
in Howrah on Friday. The Congress had called a bandh today to protest against
the Thursday’s arrest of Panchla gram panchayat pradhan Hafizullah Sheikh
in connection with the March 10 clashes between the two communities.
The police said that Congress leaders Gulshan Mallik and Samir Faujdar were
arrested for setting up roadblocks on the Mumbai-Howrah NH-6 and the
Amta-Ranihati state highway.
The bandh met with a moderate success with most business establishments keeping
their shops closed. Students stayed away from schools and colleges. But the West
Bengal Higher Secondary exams were not affected since no exam was scheduled for
today. On March 10, clashes had broken out in Panchla and adjoining villages
after over 100 youths attacked the traders here following an altercation between
them. Nearly 25 houses were gutted and over 30 shops were ransacked leading to
the imposition of prohibitory orders in the area. A total of 11 persons were
also arrested in this connection.
The prohibitory orders are still in place in the area during the night.