Violent protests in Park Circus area of ​​Kolkata (courtesy: x.com/SudhanidhiB)

New Delhi: A clash broke out between protesters and police in Kolkata’s minority-dominated Park Circus area on Sunday, in which at least three policemen were injured.The protesters were protesting against the recent bulldozing action in the Tiljala area of ​​the city, where alleged illegal construction was demolished on the orders of the state government following the death of two people in a factory fire earlier this week.Also read: Friday prayers at Tiljala after 6-hour standoff with payloaderWest Bengal is now ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which came to power in the state for the first time in the recently held assembly elections, ending the 15-year rule of the Trinamool Congress (TMC).The use of bulldozers against alleged criminals, their properties and alleged encroachments is a common practice in BJP ruled states.According to police, a large number of people gathered near Park Circus Seven Point crossing on Sunday afternoon in protest against the anti-encroachment drive and attempted to block the roads.As security personnel tried to disperse the “unlawful assembly”, a section of the protesters allegedly pelted stones, leading to chaos in the area.Many vehicles parked on the roadside, including vehicles carrying central forces, were also vandalized.Additional Commissioner Ashesh Biswas later told reporters that action had already been initiated against those involved in the violence.“Some people tried to block the road. It was an illegal gathering. The police were trying to disperse them and there was stone pelting. Three of our colleagues were injured. We have already arrested some people,” PTI quoted Biswas as saying.“There was an attack on the police. We will identify those behind this and arrest all those involved. Strict legal action will be taken,” he said.Following the clash, heavy deployment of police and central forces was made in the area. Route marches and intensive patrolling were conducted in the surrounding areas to prevent further escalation of violence and restore normalcy.However, officials have not revealed any direct link between the violence and Friday’s Rajabazar incident in the state capital.Two days ago, tension had come to the fore in Rajabazar, where a standoff broke out after a group of people allegedly attempted to offer Friday prayers on a public road despite restrictions on blocking traffic.A large contingent of police personnel asked people to vacate the road, following which the situation became tense for a while.Although there is no formal notification, the BJP government has reportedly directed the police to ensure that except on special occasions, prayer meetings do not block roads or cause inconvenience to the public.Also read: Devotees adopt self-regulation, follow govt’s new namaz guidelines in Kolkata mosquesHowever, local community members argued that holding Friday prayers on the streets is a long-standing practice in the area. On the other hand, the administration says that it is important for the roads to remain clean for traffic movement and to maintain law and order.