The West Bengal Police on Thursday booked Bharatiya Janata Party MP Babul Supriyo for violating prohibitory orders and assaulting a police officer. The FIR was lodged at North Asansol police station, reported ANI.

Earlier in the day, the police had stopped Babul Supriyo from visiting Asansol, which has been tense since clashes broke out during a Ram Navami procession. The Union minister and other party leaders were first stopped at Kalyanpur and then at Chandmari before they returned to Kolkata. Tension prevailed in Chandmari after Supriyo and other party leaders clashed with the police, reported ABP Ananda. One policeman was reportedly injured in the melee. Later, the police baton-charged the crowd to disperse it, according to local media.

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Meanwhile, BJP leader Locket Chatterjee and others were also stopped when they were on their way to Asansol from Durgapur. The party workers clashed with the police, and combat force had to deployed to bring the situation under control.

The Asansol-Raniganj area has been tense since clashes broke out on Monday. The police have issued prohibitory orders and arrested 18 people. The Centre on Wednesday sought a report from the West Bengal government on the violence during Ram Navami processions.

Three people have been killed killed and dozens injured since clashes broke out on Sunday in several places across West Bengal. Violence was reported in Raniganj, Murshidabad, Kakinara, West Bardhman, Asansol and Purulia districts. The West Bengal government has rejected the Centre’s offer to send paramilitary forces to the state.

Supriyo, who represents Asansol in Lok Sabha, had earlier alleged that police inaction led to the violence. “Violence in Raniganj occurred due to police inaction,” he had told reporters in Kolkata on Tuesday. “The incident could have been averted had the police acted earlier. The goons had a free run there as the police did nothing to stop them.”