Fresh arrests in Girish Park riot takes tally to 9; 2 police officers remain hospitalized

The number of arrests in connection with the violent political clash at Girish Park has reached nine on Sunday, as the Kolkata Police intensified their investigation. Following a high-tension Saturday, law enforcement agencies conducted overnight raids across several pockets of North Kolkata and its suburbs to identify miscreants captured on CCTV and mobile footage. While the police had initially taken four individuals into custody on the night of the incident, five more were apprehended today after a thorough review of the stone-pelting and vandalism that occurred near Central Avenue.

The violence erupted on Saturday afternoon, barely an hour before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address at the Brigade Parade Ground. The clash was sparked by a dispute over "Boycott BJP" posters and alleged unprovoked attacks on buses carrying BJP supporters to the rally. The situation rapidly spiraled out of control outside the residence of State Minister Shashi Panja, where massive stone-pelting was witnessed. Panja herself sustained injuries, and her official residence was vandalized, leading her to describe the attackers as "murderers" and "goons."

The Kolkata Police have registered a suo motu case and confirmed that the violence left eight police personnel injured, including the Officer-in-Charge of Bowbazar Police Station. Currently, two of these officers remain admitted to a private hospital for treatment, while six others have been discharged. Despite the political heat, the police clarified that they are proceeding as per law, acting on a combination of suo motu proceedings and formal complaints received from both the TMC and BJP late on Saturday night.