East Bengal win Kolkata league amidst crowd violence

East Bengal won the Kolkata Super Division football league title, blanking Mohammedan Sporting 3-0 in the championship play-off, at the Salt Lake stadium, on Monday.

The match was marred by crowd violence, which left several persons, including policemen, injured.

Brazilian Douglas D'Souza and Sasthi Duley found the target for East Bengal in the first session before Malswamtluanga could complete the rout in the second to fashion East Bengal's 28th title triumph in the league.

Things, however, took an ugly turn during half-time after East Bengal supporters pelted the Mohammedan Sporting members' gallery with stones.

Incensed Sporting supporters staged a demonstration before the police, hurled brickbats and even tried to break the wooden fencing.

After several minutes of inaction, the police cleared the Sporting supporters' galleries, even as several policemen and spectators were seen lying injured.

Mohammedan Sporting secretary Sultan Ahmed complained that more than 100 of his club supporters were injured in police action and refused to field his team in the second-half.

However, the situation was brought under control, and following repeated requests from Indian Football Association officials, the Mohammedan Sporting players returned to the field.

The match restarted after a 23-minute break but before empty Sporting galleries.