Thread by @DebayanDuttaa

What @TheQuint and @QuintFactCheck gathered from the ground about the violence and those behind it that happened during #BJP's #NabannoChalo Abhiyan on 13 September. A thread (1/n)

When the violence started in Burrabazar/Chitpur area (where ACP Debjit Chatterjee was thrashed and the PCR vehicle was set on fire), the cops took refuge in the shops that were at the mouth of Rabindra Sarani. Shopkeepers pulled down their shutters to protect them (2/n)

Chatterjee was given refuge in a small shoe shop called Shoe Corner, and the driver of the vehicle was given refuge in another shoe shop named Classic Footwear. The rest of the injured cops were given refuge in Haji Jamaluddin Jama Masjid Ahl-e-Sunnat mosque (3/n)

Shopkeepers said one of the protestors was carrying fuel in a plastic bottle in his bag. They used that to torch the vehicle. The same can be corroborated by the video of the immolation where Paritosh Mondal can be seen pouring liquid from a plastic bottle into the car. (4/n)

Upon investigating his social media profile, The Quint discovered that Mondal, who also goes by the name of Putu Bhai online is the secretary of the Cooch Behar Wing of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha. He is a resident of Dinhata. (5/n)

He has even posted a screengrab from a news clipping which shows him vandalizing the PCR vehicle, along with regular updates in the form of Facebook lives throughout the duration of the protest. He even shared the video of the arson with the caption "Our fight will go on". (6/n)

The next person is Dip Sarkar. Sarkar was seen setting fire to the seat of the PCR vehicle with a lighter that he was carrying. He was also caught on camera taunting the cops to show themselves. Later, he also climbed onto the top of the car and vandalised it. (7/n)

A social media profile in his name claims that Sarkar is a member of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and is a ‘Sat Sang Promuk’ of its South Bengal wing. His posts suggest he actively participates in the organization's programs, both cultural and political. (8/n)

The third person is Raj Kumar Maity, who was caught on camera assaulting ACP Chatterjee. A teacher by profession, Maity is a local BJP worker, hailing from Dumdum. (9/n)

According to locals, The person in the skullcap in the video tweeted by BJP leaders including Amit Malviya, was actually pelting stones at the mob to prevent them from coming towards the shops where the cops were hiding. (10/n)

The person helped the local shopkeepers put their stuff away from the fire and tried to arrange for water to douse it. The locals blocked the street to prevent the mob from progressing further. Because so many people gathered to block the street the mob left. (11/n)

Here's my detailed story on the those accused in the violence and their background, for @TheQuint , @QuintFactCheck
thequint.com/news/politics/…

And here is my ground report on how the events at Rabindra Sarani panned out. @TheQuint @QuintFactCheck
thequint.com/news/india/bjp…