Kolkata, Jan 29 : Parts of the industrial township of Barrackpore in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district virtually turned into a battlefield on Monday following clashes between the police and BJP supporters during a rally of the saffron party in front of the officer of district police superintendent.

The clashes started after the rally taken out by the supporters of the youth wing of the BJP, led by state BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar, was stopped by the police.

As the BJP supporters tried to break through the barricades, the police prevented them which led to the clashes.

As the BJP supporters hurled bricks and stones at the cps, the latter resorted to lathi charge and use of water-cannons to disperse the mob.

Till the time of filing of this report, tension prevailed in the area.

'We were holding a peaceful demonstration. But the cops launched an unprovoked attack on us. Even our female workers were not spared and were harassed and beaten up by male cops. We will approach the National Commission for Women,' said Majumdar.

He also said that it was the police who first provoked the BJP supporters by throwing stones and bricks towards the procession.

'In West Bengal, every democratic and peaceful demonstration is stopped in such a manner by the use of force,' he added.

Reacting to Majumdar's comments, Trinamool spokesman Kunal Ghosh claimed that the police behaved in an extremely responsible manner by just resorting to lathi charge and use of water-cannons.

'Had there been central armed forces, they would have surely resorted to firing,' said Ghosh.

/IANS