Residents of Madarihat patrol NH31C that passes through the area. (Anirban Choudhury)

Alipurduar, Aug. 13: At least 10 persons were injured when a group of students clashed with local traders in Madarihat this morning over a bus ride. The injured — six shopkeepers and four students — were released after they were administered first aid at the block hospital, 55km from here.

Both groups have blamed police for alleged inaction.

The seeds of the violence were sown yesterday around 4pm when a student of Class XI of Birpara Nepali High School, along with his friends, tried to board a bus bound for Kalchini via Madarihat, where he lives. The distance between Birapra and Madarihat is almost 65km

The conductor of the bus allegedly told the students to take the next one, as this was crammed. But the students refused to listen. Once aboard they abused the conductor and even got into a scuffle with him and the helper. When the bus reached Madarihat, the local people interfered on behalf of the conductor and the Class XI boy filed an FIR against five youths of the area.

This morning, the students along with their relatives and neighbours visited the police station and demonstrated there. They allegedly damaged four shops and five vehicles.

“The boys threatened to set fire to our area. We were forced to come out and protest after they went on the rampage. There were around 200 of them and they pelted the shops with stones. Five vehicles including two motorcycles were also damaged,” said Manik Banik, a trader.

The students from the Birpara school also blocked the road near the Holong Gate, 3km from Madarihat, today. They were chased away by the police when they stopped a truck and tried to damage it.

The students have alleged that the local people had beaten them up yesterday. “They did not even spare the girls and I lodged a complaint with the police. But no action has been taken,” said the student who had filed the FIR.

S.R. Misra, the additional superintendent of police of Alipurduar, and Ujjwal Bhowmik, the subdivisional police officer, visited Madarihat today. “We have sufficient force posted there and the situation is under control,” said Misra.