Kolkata, Aug. 28 -- Kolkata Police have registered three separate FIRs against TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien and several other party leaders along with other party workers following a violent confrontation at the party's Camac Street office on Thursday.

So far, 13 persons have been arrested in connection with the three FIRs registered. On Friday, they were produced at the Bankshall Court and remanded to judicial custody till September 3.

On Thursday, the clash erupted when a team of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials, backed by a large police contingent, arrived at the building located at 9, Camac Street to dismantle an alleged "unauthorised" billboard of the TMC from the rooftop. The civic action quickly turned into chaos as party workers and leaders strongly resisted the move, leading to a scuffle with law enforcement agency personnel. Kolkata Police on Thursday made it clear that the police force had been to the spot to assist the KMC officials only.

According to police, the three FIRs were lodged at the Shakespeare Sarani Police Station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The charges include unlawful assembly, voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter a public servant from his duty, obstructing public servants from discharging their duties, criminal intimidation, and assault or use of criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty.

The first FIR among the three was registered on the basis of a written requisition from the KMC, while the second FIR was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by Sudeep Kumar Bose, the Deputy Manager, Advertisement of KMC. The third FIR was registered against unknown persons on the basis of a complaint lodged by Sujit Kumar Mondal, Sergeant of Park Street Police Station, who alleged that protesters blocked the police force and snatched his government-issued walkie-talkie.

Following the chaos at 9, Camac Street, police till Thursday night had detained 12 individuals. Later, another was detained and on Friday all 13 of them were arrested.

Though the TMC leaders like Humayun Kabir and Baiswanor Chattopadhyay have been named in the two FIRs along with Banerjee and Derek, till last reports came in, no action was taken against them.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.