Refusal to pay 500-rupee Chhath Puja donation sparks clash, one held
New Delhi: A dispute over Chhath Puja donations turned violent in the Link Park area of Durgapur, located in West Bengal’s West Burdwan district. A local man and his three brothers were allegedly beaten up after they refused to pay the demanded amount of Rs 500. The fight also resulted in the vandalism of a nearby shop, creating tension among residents in the locality.
According to local sources, members of a local Chhath Puja organising committee were collecting funds from residents using donation coupons for the ghat preparations. Committee members, including Dinesh Barnwal, Mukesh Singh, and Suraj Barnwal, were reportedly asking for Rs 500 per daura, which is the traditional puja basket used during the festival.
The trouble began when a resident named Manish Modi refused to pay Rs 500 and offered Rs 300 instead. This led to a heated argument between Manish and the committee members, which quickly spiralled out of control and turned into a physical fight.
Clash escalates to shop vandalism
Manish Modi and his three brothers were allegedly assaulted by the committee members during the brawl. Reports also suggest that women from the family got involved as the scuffle grew worse. Soon after, an angry group allegedly barged into a nearby shop and vandalised the property, adding to the chaos in the neighbourhood.
During the physical altercation, committee member Suraj Barnwal suffered a head injury. He was later taken to a local hospital for medical treatment.
Police action and ongoing probe
After receiving alerts about the unrest, officers from the Waria police outpost rushed to the Link Park area to bring the situation under control.
Police have arrested a man identified as Ashish Kumar Modi in connection with the violence. He was produced before the Durgapur sub-divisional court on Sunday. Officials stated that an investigation is underway to look into both the assault and the shop vandalism, and they are examining CCTV footage of the incident to identify everyone involved.