Press Trust of India

Siliguri, September 21, 2005

Five persons were killed and 20 personnel injured in a clash between police and demonstrators near Cooch Behar on Tuesday. The dead included three cops.

While two persons were killed when police opened fire to stop the activists of Greater Cooch Behar Peoples Association (GCPA), Additional SP (Kalimpong), one homeguard and a constable were killed in stone pelting by the activists, a senior police officer said.

Additional SP (Kalimpong) Mustaq Ahmed succumbed to injury on Tuesday evening, Superintendent of Police Rajiv Mishra said.

The activists, who also damaged 30 police vehicles during the violence, tried to forcibly enter Siliguri town in a procession violating 144 CRPC prompting the police to open fire in which two persons were killed, IG (North Bengal) KL Meena said.