Nine people were arrested between Saturday night and Sunday morning in connection with the violence at Girish Park and the attack on Bengal minister Shashi Panja’s residence. Police said the men were identified through CCTV and video footage of the incident.

At least eight of the nine arrested are BJP activists who travelled in a bus from Baranagar to Brigade on Saturday for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally, sources said. Five of the men are from Baranagar and four from Jorabagan.

The suspects were reportedly caught on camera pelting stones at Panja’s house and smashing windows. They were booked under charges including attempt to murder, rioting, assembly with deadly weapons, obstructing public servants from performing their duty, causing grievous hurt, and under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property and the West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order acts.

Panja is the minister for industries, commerce and enterprises, as well as women and child welfare and child development.

Footage showed a group of vandals attacking her home with bricks and stones, while others ran helter-skelter amid the chaos.

The outside of Panja’s house bore visible marks of the violence on Sunday, with dents on the door, torn flex banners and broken glass windows. Multiple police pickets were set up outside the residence to cordon off the site.

State BJP leaders alleged a conspiracy against their party workers.

Debjit Sarkar, chief spokesperson of the state BJP unit, said: “This is a conspiracy against our supporters. A group of men from the Kolabagan slum area were already present and pelting stones. Shashi Panja’s injury also raised suspicions. Initially, there was no mark; later, she appeared with a bandage. This is the outcome of Mamata Banerjee’s instigation... No action has been taken against those who attacked our men. Instead, harsh action is being taken only against our men.”

The police said raids were ongoing. A senior officer of Kolkata Police said: “Complaints were received from both the TMC and BJP late in the night... Action is being taken as per the law.”

The arrested were produced in Bankshall court, which sent them to police remand until March 20.

A defence lawyer filed a bail plea, alleging that the violence was instigated by TMC supporters who first pelted stones at the bus carrying BJP activists.

“The lawyer questioned why central forces were not called and why the complaint of a woman BJP leader assaulted in view of the police was not treated as a formal complaint,” said a source.

The public prosecutor opposed bail, citing the serious nature of the charges: “They may tamper with evidence and interfere with the investigation.”

The police submitted a list of the injured officers to the court, stating they were harmed “by means of brickbats, with the clear intent to deter them from discharging our public functions”. Several government vehicles were also vandalised, the police said.

Of eight police personnel injured during the clash, six were discharged from hospital on Sunday afternoon, while two remained admitted.

Sources said police investigations found that BJP supporters travelling in the bus had stopped at the Girish Park crossing at a traffic signal when several men got down and began attacking the minister’s house. Forces from multiple adjoining police stations were called to contain the situation.

BJP’s Mandal II leader, Shashi Gond, alleged she was assaulted by TMC men during the clash, though no action had been taken against the attackers as of Sunday evening.

The police said they were still in the process of identifying all individuals involved in the violence.