Kolkata, Feb 3 (IANS) Kolkata Police on Tuesday arrested two more persons in connection with the clash between two groups in south Kolkata’s Golpark area, taking the total number of arrests in this case to 16.

Babu Sona alias Rahul Das, known to be a close associate of the main accused Sona Pappu, was arrested by the police on Tuesday. ​​Another criminal named Shubankar Roy was also apprehended. Both are known to be Pappu’s accomplices. Although Sona Pappu did a Facebook Live this afternoon, police have not yet been able to arrest him.

It has been learnt that Babu Sona and Shubhankar had gone into hiding after the incident on Sunday. Acting on a tip-off, the police arrested them from their hideout. The police are trying to reach Pappu by interrogating them.

Meanwhile, Sona Pappu went live on Facebook and claimed that he was innocent and had nothing to do with the incident. Pappu claimed that he was at home on the day of the incident and said he has proof of this.

“My father owns three gold shops; we are not people who have to resort to unfair means for a living. I was at home on the day of the incident,” he said.

Last Sunday, a clash broke out between two groups on Kakulia Road in the Golpark under Rabindra Sarobar police station area in Kolkata. In the aftermath of the incident, the names of Sona Pappu and his gang repeatedly came up in the reactions of local residents.

A section of the local residents alleged that Sona Pappu’s gang is responsible for instigating the trouble in the area. Till Monday night, 14 people were arrested since the incident on Sunday night, while Sona Pappu went into hiding.

However, Kolkata’s new Police Commissioner, Supratim Sarkar, warned the culprits on Monday that no one would be spared.

In fact, Sona Pappu’s name has come up in various incidents of unrest before. He was also involved in a murder case in the past. It is known that he once had a gold business, hence his name is Sona Pappu. He is now reportedly involved in the real estate business in the Kasba area, said police sources.

Meanwhile, three FIRs have been registered at the Rabindra Sarobar police station regarding Sunday night’s incident. This includes a suo motu case for the attack on a police vehicle. Ten accused were arrested on Sunday night itself. The court remanded them to police custody till February 9.

Late on Monday night, the Rabindra Sarobar police arrested four more people after conducting further searches.

Among the four arrested on Monday night, it was learnt that Bablu Sau, alias Chini and Indrajit Maji, alias Chhoto Babu, were arrested in one case. Both are residents of the Kasba police station area. In a separate case related to the same incident, Jayanta Naskar, alias Sonu and Debashish Mandal, alias Bhutu, were arrested. Jayanta is a resident of the Anandapur police station area, while Debashish’s house is in the Lake police station area.

According to locals and police sources, the trouble started around 8:30 p.m. on Sunday night. A club picnic was being held at Panchanantala near Golpark. A clash broke out between two groups there. It is learned that the conflict was between the group of local businessman Bapi Halder and the gang of Sona Pappu. Bapi is known to the local residents as a businessman. These local residents claim that Sona Pappu’s gang is trying to seize control of the area, and that is why they are targeting Bapi.

It is alleged that approximately 100-150 miscreants, with their faces covered with handkerchiefs, attacked the area. There were also allegations of firing and hurling crude bombs. Sharp weapons were also used in the attack. Police vehicles and local residents’ motorcycles were vandalised on the street. Bricks were also thrown at each other. That same night, the police recovered bullet casings and bomb fragments from the road.

–IANS

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