Clash over ‘control of illegal sand mine’ injures 2 in West Bengal, 10 held

The police said another person was also injured in the clash.

Residents have long complained about the alleged illegal sand extraction from the Ajay river, accusing “local TMC goons” of the activity. The incident comes a month after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reprimanded district magistrate Bidhan Ray during a live-streamed administrative meeting over sand smuggling in Birbhum.

BJP MLA and senior party leader Anup Saha said, “People from Anubrata Mondal and Sheikh Kajal’s factions clashed with bombs over extorting money from sand mines. We condemn such extortion practices in the TMC.”

Mondal, recently released on bail in a cattle smuggling case, is reportedly a rival of Kajal — who gained prominence in the district during Mondal’s imprisonment.

The TMC, however, has distanced itself from the violence. “Our party has nothing to do with this clash or the practice of extortion. The police will take action against those involved. It may be that the clash broke out between rival groups of goons over some local issues,” said TMC district vice-president Malay Mukherjee.