Violence erupts over graveyard

Statesman News Service

MALDA, March 24. — One person was killed and many others, including policemen, were injured in a clash between people of two different villages on the issue of road construction close to a graveyard in the Chanchal police station area of Malda district last evening, police said. Police said 12 persons have been arrested in this connection and a police camp has been set up in the trouble-torn area. “Sheikh Batul, a villager, was killed after a clash between the two groups, not in police firing at Neharpur village”, said the Malda SP, Mr DK Mondal. “Police had to open fire in the air to bring the situation under control when the villages of two different locations attacked each other with firearms, bombs”, the SP said. “One group was protesting to stop the construction of the metal road that passes through the graveyard, based on the belief that the graveyard was a holy place,” a senior police official said. Trouble broke out on the issue of graveyard a few days ago and work was suspended. When the contractors started construction work, the clash turned into a battle and the two groups set stakes of hay on fire and damaged some houses, police said.