Just two days after the BJP’s election victory, bulldozers were used to demolish shops in Kolkata’s Hogg Market, also known as New Market, in a manner reminiscent of northern India.

Witnesses told Prothom Alo that several shops were torn down on Tuesday evening.

The Hindu nationalist party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), came to power in West Bengal for the first time on Monday with a sweeping majority. The incident has since raised concerns among the administration, which has announced strict measures to control the use of bulldozers. Most traders in New Market belong to the minority Muslim community.

Social activist Soumya Mondal, who was present at the scene, told Prothom Alo that the demolition began around 6:30–7:00 pm.

“A large area was affected. A friend and I witnessed only part of it and managed to record some video. A clothing shop opposite the Kolkata Municipal Corporation was bulldozed and brought down within moments,” he said.