Kolkata, Jan 24 (IANS) Tension erupted in the Manikchak area in West Bengal's Malda district on Friday after the organizers of a volleyball tournament inaugurated the event by shooting from double-barrel guns in the air.

The incident took place reportedly on Thursday and a video went viral in the morning.

After the video went viral, the local police promptly jumped into action and seized the double-barrel guns which were used in the shooting. However, till the time the report was filed no arrests have been in this connection. FIRs have been filed under the Arms Act, 1959 against the four organizers who were seen in the video.

The four organizers identified on this count are A Khan Chowdhury, Md Aminur Rahman Khan, Md Bhaktawar Khan and Mansur Ahmed Khan.

The Malda district police superintendent Pradeep Kumar Yadav, on Friday, issued a statement saying that although all the four guns used in the shooting had proper licenses, provisions of the Arms Act were violated in the manner they were used publicly. "That is why the four guns have been seized by the cops and FIRs have been filed against the four individuals who were shown in the video, shooting the guns at the inauguration of the tournament," he said.

However, the local Trinamool Congress legislator from Manikchak, Sabitri Mitra had attempted to downplay the event and claimed that the four individuals identified in the video had shot in the air prompted by emotions.

“However, I agree that whatever they have done was not proper. They should have taken permission before shooting,” Mitra claimed.

The BJP Lok Sabha member from Maladaha (Uttar), Khagen Murmu claimed that several school children were present at the inauguration of the volleyball tournament and any misfiring could have resulted in a major. He also questioned why the district police were not aware of such an initiative in advance.

The development has gained significance since during the current month there have been two instances in Malda district where two Trinamool Congress leaders were shot dead in broad daylight in the streets reportedly by armed miscreants affiliated with a rival faction within the ruling party.

Courtesy Media Group: IANS

Words: 349