Two persons were injured in a clash between members of the CPM-affiliated Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and owners of online lottery outlets in Muchipara, central Calcutta, on Wednesday evening.

Police said around 40 DYFI members, including women, demonstrated in front of the online lottery shops, demanding that they be closed down immediately.

They also held an “awareness rally”, urging residents not to take part in such lotteries. This led to an altercation between the protesters and the shop-owners, following which some DYFI members ransacked a few shops and heckled some employees.

“Both groups then hurled brickbats at each other. Two persons were injured. Our men brought the situation under control. No one has been held,” said an officer of Muchipara police station. The groups have lodged police complaints.

“The shop-owners claimed their business was legal as they had been paying amusement tax to the government regularly,” said P.K. Dam, additional-officer-in-charge of Muchipara thana.