An altercation during a local cricket match spiralled into a full-blown street clash in Bagrakot of Siliguri on Wednesday, prompting a large-scale police intervention such as tear gas to control the situation.
Several persons have been detained and police pickets deployed in the area to prevent further escalation.
According to the police and local sources, tensions had been brewing since June 29 when a friendly cricket series between local youths turned hostile following a heated altercation.
A youth was allegedly assaulted during the game on June 29.
Reportedly, it led to a retaliatory attack on another youth in Siliguri's Mahavirsthan area on Tuesday.
The simmering tension culminated in violence on Wednesday afternoon, when two rival groups clashed in Bagrakot.
The situation quickly turned volatile as houses and vehicles in the area were vandalised, and both sides reportedly engaged in stone-pelting.
As the situation worsend, senior officers of the Siliguri Metropolitan Police (SMP), including police commissioner C. Sudhakar and his deputies, rushed to the area.
The police initially tried to disperse the mob by chasing them away from the area but were later forced to resort to tear gas shelling.
“A clash escalated from a dispute over a cricket match. During the stone pelting, we intervened and had to use tear gas. A few people have been detained and police pickets have been posted in the area to maintain peace,” said B.C. Thakur, the deputy commissioner (east) of the SMP.
Mayor Gautam Deb of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation strongly condemned the violence.
“Such incidents are unacceptable. If anyone is found instigating unrest, strict action will be taken against them,” he said.
Police have launched an investigation and are monitoring the situation closely to ensure no further flare-ups occur.