50 detained for staging protests outside football club in Kolkata

KOLKATA: Several people, claiming to be supporters of Sporting Club East Bengal, were detained for staging a demonstration over the uncertainty surrounding the football club's sponsorship, in Maidan area, officials said. Police also lathi-charged the agitators after they continued protesting outside the club's Maidan premises despite being told to disperse, they said.
At least 50 people were detained.
Police, however, denied claims by the supporters that many of them were injured in the lathi charge.
"They suffered injuries during a scuffle between two groups of supporters," a police officer said.
"We repeatedly told them to vacate the area keeping in mind Covid-19 protocols, but they did not listen to us. We had to lathi charge to control the crowd," he said.
A team of police officers has been deployed in the area to prevent any untoward incident, he added.
Sporting Club East Bengal officials have reportedly refused to sign the final agreement with the sponsor, putting in doubt the red-and-gold outfit's participation in future tournaments.