Bengal's leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari moved the division bench headed by Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam in Calcutta High Court on Friday, seeking an urgent hearing on his petition demanding an NIA probe into Wednesday's violence at Maheshtala.

The counsel appearing for Adhikari submitted before the bench: “The situation in Maheshtala is grave. Hundreds of families have been spending days in utter fear. Police have failed to give them protection. No proper inquiry was conducted.... The NIA should be asked to conduct a probe... with urgent effect.”

The counsel said the judiciary needed to intervene urgently. "So I am requesting the court to make necessary arrangements so the petition is heard as soon as possible.”

A dispute over one group building a platform for a tulsi plant and another allegedly damaging it resulted in a clash between the two. Stones were hurled at the police, and police vehicles were damaged. The police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd, but the area resembled a war zone for over five hours.

The police have arrested 40 people suspected of being rioters, but the incident has sparked political tension in the area.

A cache of chemicals used to manufacture explosives was seized from Budge Budge, not far from Maheshtala

Adhikari's counsel also pleaded for an order directing the state to allow his client to visit the disturbed areas.

After hearing the plea, the chief justice hinted that the division bench headed by Justice Somen Sen would hear the case.

The division bench headed by Justice Sen was likely to hear the case on Monday, a high court source said.

On Thursday, Adikari's counsel had moved the bench headed by Justice Sen and demanded an urgent hearing of the case.

However, the division bench headed by Justice Sen did not consider the matter urgent and directed Adhikari to file the petition with the appropriate department of the court. The judge said he would hear the case when it comes up through the regular process.