Cooch Behar, Sept. 5: Three persons were severely injured last night when a clash broke out at New Gitaldaha in the Dinhata police station area over the setting up of the managing committee of a mosque.

The injured persons have been admitted to the Dinhata subdivisional hospital. One group owed allegiance to the Congress, while the other supported the CPM and both have lodged complaints, police said.

The managing committee of the mosque used to be controlled by the Congress for a long time. But recently, the CPM came to power and dissolved the Congress-run board to form an ad hoc committee. Yesterday, the CPM called a meeting to form a new committee.

District superintendent of police Anil Kumar said the clash started from a dispute between two youths at the meet. The scuffle went on to such extent that CPM workers allegedly ransacked the houses of Congress supporters.

Congress MLA from Sitai Fazle Haq said: “Political intervention in religion will not be tolerated.” CPM’s Dinhata local committee secretary Tarapada Barman denied the fact that his party was involved in the fight.