Members of two factions of the Trinamool Congress clashed on the Karala Valley tea estate near here on Thursday night over gaining political control of the garden.

A police vehicle was vandalised when law enforcers reached the garden to control the situation. Later, additional police forces arrived and brought the situation under control. Police personnel have been posted in the garden to maintain law and order.

Sources said a dispute had cropped up between Mahesh Rautia, a trade union leader of Trinamool, and Bhola Saha, another party leader in the garden.

Rautia is known to be close to Mahua Gope, the Jalpaiguri district Trinamool president, and Tapan Dey, the district INTTUC president. Saha is allegiant to Krishna Das, the district chairman of Trinamool’s SC and ST cell.

“The two factions led by Saha and Rautia want to gain absolute political control of the garden. This led to yesterday’s incident,” said a garden worker who didn’t want to be named.

When the two groups clashed on Thursday night, stones were hurled at each other, which left three people injured. Kotwali police reached the garden, and their vehicle was vandalised in the violence.

Rautia said that a few days ago, Krishna Das had taken some workers to a meeting organised by him.

“We did not stop them. However, on July 16, when some workers were heading to Kranti to attend a public meeting of the district Trinamool president (Mahua Gope), Bhola Saha and his associates stopped them at the instruction of Krishna Das. They had to be brought back with police escort,” said the trade union leader.

Saha, on the other hand, alleged that on the same day, Rautia and his associates beat him and snatched ₹30,000 from him. “They even threatened me with dire consequences. On Thursday night, they attacked some workers in a labour line without any provocation,” he said.

Rautia, on the other hand, alleged that Krishna Das and Saha had brought criminals from outside and attacked them.

Das, when contacted, blamed Rautia. “Mahesh Rautia is fomenting tension in the garden. We have informed the police and want them to take necessary steps. His people had attacked the police yesterday,” he said.

On Friday, a simmering tension was witnessed in the garden. A section of workers didn’t join their duties, sources said.

Tapan Dey, the district INTTUC president, was brief in his reaction. “We do not want any problem in any tea estate. The police should act and arrest those who created the trouble, irrespective of their political affiliation,” he said.

Gope, the district Trinamool president, spoke in similar lines. “We will not tolerate such infighting. Local leaders and workers have been instructed to abstain from violence,” she said.

Senior police officers said police personnel have been posted at the garden. “The situation is under control now. Investigations have started,” said a police officer.