Malda (WB): Tension erupted in Aatmail area in Malda district on Sunday after activists of Jharkhand Disom Party blocked National Highway-34 protesting against a mass wedding organised by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), officials said.
A policeman was also injured after he was hit by an arrow, an official said.
Members of VHP and Jharkhand Disom Party (JDP) clashed and pelted stones at each other, the official said. They also hurled plastic chairs at each other, he said.
The incident happened when JDP members alleged that the VHP was organising the adivasi mass wedding by ignoring their rituals.
A large police force was sent to the spot to control the situation, the official said.
"Today's mass marriage, which was organised by the VHP, was being held as per Hindu rituals. We feel that by doing this the aadivasis are being converted," a leader of JDP, Mohan Hansda said.
"They are taking advantage of our poverty. The couples were given Rs 12,000 each and they fell into the trap," Hansda said, adding, the police and the block development officer have been asked to stop the wedding.
The Block Development Officer (BDO) of Old Malda, Irfan Habib said that the situation was brought under control by the police and people have returned from the site where the mass wedding was organsied.
Approximately 40 couples got married on Sunday during the programme, the BDO said. VHP's Convenor of North Bengal, Tarun Pandit said that the programme concluded successfully.
The JDP initially thought that the couples were being converted but later they understood since the mass wedding was organised as per adivasi rituals.
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