Five persons were injured as two groups of Trinamul supporters clashed over the construction of a concrete road at a village in Mathabhanga-I block of Cooch Behar district on Wednesday.

Police brought the situation under control. Among the injured, three are under treatment at the Mathabhanga sub-divisional hospital.

Sources said the work to build a 110m concrete road started in Paschimkhaterbari village under Hazrahat-I panchayat of the block.

The road was supposed to skirt the house of local resident Khaybar Hossain. Hossain and his sons stopped the workers, alleging that they had not been informed earlier about the road. Their protest angered Atiar Rehman, another resident whose house is located at the proposed end point of the road, and he reached the spot with some others, sources said.

An altercation ensued and both sides attacked each other with sticks, rods and sharp weapons.

“We had no information about the road which is why we protested. Atiar Rehman and some of the contractor's men attacked us,” said Roushan Ali, Khaybar’s son.

Aliar Rehman, Atiar’s son, accused the other side. “We simply went to tell them that the road is necessary for all of us. They attacked us without provocation,” he said.

Hasem Ali, deputy chief of the panchayat, said the clash halted the work. “We will send a report to block officials. Road work was taken up in consultation with villagers,” said Ali.

Accident

Biker Alam Haque, 25, died in Bhujaripara on Jalpaiguri-Haldibari state highway on Wednesday, and his grandfather Jabed Ali, riding pillion, was critically injured when a private bus from the opposite end collided with the two-wheeler.