West Bengal: Facebook post sparks tension in Birbhum, 1 killed
According to reports, a third year student of Guricha village under Illambazar Police Station, Sujan Mukherjee, on Mondayallegedly updated an objectionable post against the Muslim community on social networking site Facebook.
Police arrested the student on Monday night and charged him under several IT and IPC sections.
Sujan Mukherjee was produced in a local court at Bolpur on Tuesday and sent to judicial custody for 14 days.
When the news spread, a large number of Muslims gathered and gheraoed Illambazar Police Station on Tuesday afternoon.
Demanding immediate handover of the accused student to them, protesters ransacked Illambazar PS and set on fire police vehicles, which were parked there.
Police allegedly fired bullets, resorted to lathicharge and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the mob. One man was injured in the clash and he died later in hospital.
However a huge police force has been deployed there to keep the situation under control.
Denying the allegation on bullet-firing, Birbhum SP Mukesh Kumar told IBNS, "Police did not fire bullets. Policemen had to resort to mild lathicharge and lob tear gas shells to bring the situation under control. Now the situation is completely under control. A huge police force along with Rapid Action Force (RAF) have been deployed in the area."
(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)
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