Supporters of the Trinamul Congress and the BJP clashed at Pancharangi in Cooch Behar town on Friday evening, forcing the saffron camp to call off a programme to protest against irregularities in the appointments at government schools.

Police used batons to disperse the activists of the BJP and the TMC who wielded bricks, stones and sticks in the clash.

A large contingent of police was deployed at Pancharangi to maintain law and order.

The BJP and the TMC have blamed each other for the violence.

Sources said TMC supporters had held a rally on the Rashmela Ground to protest against the recent hike in prices of medicines and the alleged misbehaviour by some people during chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s visit to London.

The Trinamool supporters were returning home in buses after the protest when a clash broke out on Byangchatra Road in front of the district BJP office.

“Some BJP supporters attacked Trinamool activists with wooden planks, bricks and sticks. They were carrying firearms and vandalised a bus. Police should arrest the attackers,” said Sayandip Goswami, a TMCP leader in Cooch Behar.

Malati Rava Roy, the BJP MLA of Tufanganj, said leaders and supporters of the party were gathering in the district office to protest against the state government over the corruption in the recruitment of school teachers.

“TMC supporters attacked us and ransacked our vehicles parked outside the office to stop us from organising the protest. Some of our supporters were injured in the attack. The police did not take action against the attackers. Following the violence, we couldn’t hold the protest against the state government,” said the MLA.

Senior police officers, along with RAF and other police personnel, rushed to the spot. “The situation is under control now. We have posted police personnel in the area,” said K.G. Meena, the additional superintendent of police (headquarters), Cooch Behar.