Kolkata: Two college students were killed when a bus hit them after ignoring a traffic signal here on Saturday, leading to clashes between locals and police.

The accident occurred at the Chingrighata crossing on the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass around 11.45 am and the accused driver was arrested, a police officer said.

After the accident, angry locals pelted police with stones and torched four buses, accusing police personnel of not controlling the traffic well and instead demanding money from several vehicles.

Stones were hurled at police vehicles and a fire tender that was sent there to put out the fire.

Police lobbed teargas shells and baton-charged the mob to disperse them.

“We have been talking to local people and area domination operation has been carried out,” the police officer said.

The road connecting IT sector of Salt Lake with the city and a part of EM Bypass was also closed for traffic movement for hours.

RIOTING

Rahat Qureshi, an accused in the killing of a youth in Uttar Pradesh’s Kasganj after which communal violence started, was arrested on Saturday, Uttar Pradesh Police said.

The main accused in Chandan Gupta’s murder, Salim, was arrested two days back.

A countryside pistol and some cartridges were also recovered from Qureshi’s possession.

The arrest was made by the special operations group (SOG), an officer said, adding that the accused is being interrogated for his role in rioting, instigating people and murder.

A notice for auction has already been pasted on his house and the police raided many places to look for him.

The other accused have been asked, through the auction notice, to surrender before a court by March 1 or face the risk of losing their houses.

So far five FIRs have been registered in the rioting and murder case, and 118 persons arrested.

Indo-Asian News Service