2 policemen shot at in Bengal's Asansol after fight over

Two policemen were injured after some miscreants fired at them in West Bengal's Paschim Badhaman district in the early hours on Monday following an altercation over paying autorickshaw fare, police said. The incident happened at Asansol Station Road under the jurisdiction of Asansol South Police Station at 4.30am, the police said, adding, both of them have been hospitalised.

An autorickshaw driver had approached Sub-inspector (SI) Sandip Pal, constable Arijit Samanta and civic volunteer Durgakhetro Pal who were on duty at that time and told them that three passengers were creating trouble while paying the fare, a police officer said. They then intervened and asked a couple of questions to the passengers. Not satisfied with their answers, the policemen tried to take them to the police station. The passengers then used pepper spray on the policemen and fired at them and fled, the police officer said, adding, one of the police personnel, however, managed to snatch the firearm from the miscreants.

The SI received a bullet injury in his back while a bullet grazed through the shoulder of the constable, the officer said. The constable is being treated at the district hospital, he added. An investigation has been initiated, the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) of Central Division of Asansol-Durgapur Commissionerate, Sayak Das, said.