A day after the arrest of 18 people, most of whom were auto drivers, there was no sign of any mellowing in the protests. “We have arrested 11 people on Saturday for arson. It is not clear to which political party they belong,” said Pradip Chatterjee, Joint Commissioner of Police.

Police sources, however, said the miscreants were mostly auto-drivers, formerly CITU men who have now changed ranks and joined the Trinamool-backed Auto Bachao Committee (ABC).

Within hours after Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee ended her sit-in demonstration near the chief minister’s residence against the arrest of auto drivers in Friday’s violence, a group of youths intercepted a West Bengal Surface Transport bus near Park Circus Bridge and forced passengers to get down from the vehicle. Later, they set the bus on fire around 9. 40 am. The bus was partially damaged before the fire was brought under control.

Within 20 minutes, another mob, allegedly auto-rickshaw drivers, stopped another government bus at Bondel Road and Broad Street crossing and asked passengers to get down from it. They later damaged the bus. The crowd retreated after a large police contingent led by Additional Commissioner of Police, K Harirajan reached the spot. Locals alleged that the miscreants also snatched cash and valuables from the passengers.