Basirhat (WB), Dec 24: Several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers and police personnel were injured after a "law-violation programme" of the party turned violent in Basirhat town of West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Monday.


According to the police, they had initially tried to pacify the BJP supporters, but resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the crowd after the party workers threw stones at the force.

Several BJP workers and police officials were injured in the clash in Basirhat -- about 60 km east of Kolkata.

BJP state president Dilip Ghosh, who was present at the event, claimed that the stones were thrown by "outsiders" who had nothing to do with the party. "We were conducting our 'law-violation programme' peacefully, but the police started unprovoked lathi-charge. Those who have pelted stones are outsiders, they have nothing to do with the BJP." 

Senior TMC leader Jyotipriyo Mullick alleged that the saffron party was deliberately trying to create violence and demanded that Ghosh be arrested for instigating violence.

The BJP has been organising "law-violation programmes" in various parts of the state in protest against the Trinamool Congress government's decision to not allow its proposed rath yatras.

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to accord urgent hearing on a plea challenging a Calcutta High Court order of not allowing the party's rath yatras in the state.

The three-phased "Save Democracy Rally" was scheduled to be held this month and cover all the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies. The rallies were to be flagged off by BJP president Amit Shah.

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Lucknow (PTI): Kolkata Knight Riders edged Lucknow Super Giants via Super Overs in a battle between two bottom-placed teams in the IPL, here on Sunday.

Chasing a modest 156, LSG suffered a batting collapse and managed to tie the contest and take it to Super Over with No. 9 Mohammed Shami striking a last-ball six against a wayward Kartik Tyagi, who leaked 16 runs in the final over.

But Sunil Narine bowled a stunning Super Over conceding just one run and taking two wickets to give KKR an easy target.

Rinku Singh then finished the chase with a boundary off first ball from Prince Yadav.

Earlier the KKR were in deep trouble with 93/7 in 15 overs but Rinku smashed a sensational 83 not out from 51 balls including four sixes in a row in the final over to lift them to 155/7.

Cameron Green (34) was the only other batter to reach double-digit scores as KKR suffered a familiar batting meltdown with Mohsin taking his maiden fifer.

In reply, LSG continued their dismal show with the bat to succumb to their fifth loss in a row.

Brief Scores:

Kolkata Knight Riders 155/7; 20 overs (Rinku Singh 83 not out, Cameron Green 34; Mohsin Khan 5/23). Lucknow Super Giants 155/8; 20 overs (Rishabh Pant 42). KKR won via Super Over.