One dead, 13 injured in clash between mob, police

Baharampore (WB)/Kolkata, Aug 28 (PTI) One person waskilled and at least 13 others, including nine policemen, wereinjured in a clash after a mob blocked National Highway 34 inMurshidabad district of West Bengal, demanding restoration ofelectricity line to a village. After talks failed, police resorted to lathi charge todisperse the mob and then fired in the air at Jhikri underFarakka police station area, as the villagers pelted stones. "To safeguard public property and after being attacked bybombs, we had to fire in the air. After the crowd dispersed,we found a body 200 metre from the spot. It had multipleinjuries," Additional Director General of Police (law andorder) Anuj Sharma said in Kolkata. "Prima facie something happened when the crowd wasretreating. An enquiry is on," he said. Twenty-one people were arrested. Nine policemen,including the inspector-in-charge of Farakka Police Station,were injured in the clash, Sharma said, adding police foundbomb remnants and two live bombs from the spot. Besides the policemen, least four villagers were injuredin the clash. All of them were admitted to a hospital, policesaid. Two police vehicles, 15 buses and a car of a localgovernment official were also damaged in the clash. The deceased has been identified as Jamal Sheikh (32) ofBalida Pukur village bordering Jhikra village where the localswere demanding restoration of electricity line. There was no electricity in Jhikra for the last few daysand the agitated people started demonstration on NH-34 ataround 9.30 AM. Sheikh was passing by the area where people blocked thehighway which linked the southern and northern parts of thestate, District Superintendent of Police Mukesh said, addingthe cause of death could be ascertained after post-mortem. "Strict action will be taken against those who attackedthe policemen and damaged public property," Sharma said. The blockade, which continued for around four hours, haveput traffic out of gear. The situation is now under control,officials said. PTI CORR NIK NNNSD