“Police reached the spot on time. One of the local clubs was ransacked. We have received complaints and an investigation is on,” said Pravin Kumar, District Police Superintendent of South 24 Parganas.
According to locals, around 100 CPM supporters attacked Agantuk Sporting Club. Locals who tried to resist were beaten up. “We were all sleeping at that time when we heard them ransacking our club. We tried to protest, but they beat us up. They did not even spare the women,” said Jayati Naskar, a local.
The attackers took away fans, television sets and other valuables from the club before ransacking the furniture and other items. They dumped the furniture in a local pond.
“They also threatened us that if we protest, we will be killed. This is being done to us because we are all Trinamool supporters. Our club was established in 1976. Recently the club became very popular owing to a number of social welfare programmes. When we went to the police station, the officers refused to accept our complaint,” said Dilip Mahato, another local.
Later a huge contingent of policemen rushed to the spot and controlled the situation. A police picket was set up there as tension mounted.
“But the club is illegal and it is a den for criminals. Therefore, a section of locals ransacked it,” said Dipu Das, local CPM councillor.