"Two persons have died... the officers are deciding on the further course of action. The cause of their deaths is a matter of investigation. Our officers had fired in the air," state Director General of Police Virendra told reporters.
Six police officers were injured, he said, adding that no one has been arrested yet.
BJP MP Arjun Singh alleged that the deceased was shot in the head by the police "from point-blank range" while six others received bullet injuries.
As per sources in the local hospital and inputs from residents of the area, the two who died are Ram Babu Shaw and Dharambir Shaw. Both succumbed to bullet injuries. All four injured are in critical condition.
Shaw's neighbour claimed police had opened fire first.
"The area has been violent for days. Someone has to take responsibility for the deaths of these men," Shaw's neighbour said.
Even other residents of Bhatpara and Kakinara Bazar blamed the police for opening fire leading to the deaths and injuries. Many believed had the police taken prior steps, the violence could have been avoided.
According to locals, miscreants resorted to bombings and also fired at each other. The police opened fire after use of tear gas shells failed to quell the violence. Police have recovered some arms and crude bombs from the area.
The violence erupted on a day the new Bhatpara police station was scheduled to be inaugurated by the DGP. But such was the ferocity of the clash that he returned midway and rushed to the state Secretariat, Nabanna where the government called an urgent meeting to tackle the violence.
While newly-appointed state Home Secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay announced after the meeting that the new police station has become functional, Virendra later returned to Bhatpara with more reinforcements and reviewed the situation with senior police officers.
"West Bengal government is taking a serious view in regards to the deterioration of law and order situation in areas like Jagaddal, Bhatpara and other places under the Barrackpore police commissionerate.
"Section 144 (of the Criminal Procedure Code) has been imposed in areas under Bhatpara, Jagaddal police station and adjoining places. All efforts are being made to restore normalcy in the area," Bandyopadhyay said.
The Rapid Action Force has been deployed and fresh police reinforcements sent to the area, which has been volatile for over a month now, largely due to clashes between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the ruling Trinamool Congress for political dominance.
"A new police station has been opened in Bhatpara. Route marches will be conducted and ADG, South Bengal Sanjay Singh has been sent to the spot, giving him special charge," he said.
Bandopadhyay claimed that some anti-socials are active in the area and some outsiders are also joining them resulting in the disruption of normal law and order situation.
"Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and other officers are looking into the matter with utmost seriousness," he said.
As the locals voiced dissatisfaction over the role of the police officer, leaders of both BJP and Trinamool resorted to a political blame game.
"Since I am in Delhi, the police have allowed some Trinamool activists to do all this. They (the police) are a mute witness to looting and violence over the last three days. They are giving a free hand to them (Trinamool activists) and the total gameplan has been hatched by the police. Seven people have been shot and one deceased was shot in his head," Singh said.
On the other hand, Trinamool leader Madan Mitra said that Bhatpara has been witnessing violence for over a month. "It is sad that Arjun Singh said that the person died after being shot by the police while the officers have said that they fired the bullets in the air," he said.
"BJP resorts to the politics of violence. Even if the administration tries to control the situation, they are targeting those officers who are risking their lives to restore peace in the area," he added.
The man was subsequently overpowered by police and taken into custody.
The entire drama, which triggered panic in the area, was captured by television cameras that showed the man in light coloured pants and a dark jacket, walking away on an empty road barricaded by police, turning around and shouting at the protesters in Hindi, Take this independence.
Some TV channels said the gunman was identified as Gopal but this could not be immediately confirmed.
"We were moving towards the Holy Family Hospital where the police had raised barricades. Suddenly, a gun-wielding man came out and opened fire. One bullet hit my friend's hand," Aamna Asif, a student of economics at the university, told PTI.
She said her friend, Shadab Farooq, a mass communication student, was injured in his left hand and taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre.
Al-Ameen, another student, said the man was brandishing his pistol and shouted "Yeh lo azaadi (Here, take your freedom)".
There was heavy police and media presence when the incident took place.
The students were heading from Jamia to Mahatma Gandhi's memorial Rajghat. The march was stopped at the Holy Family Hospital near the university.
Students squatted in the area, asking the police to go back. As they raised slogans of "Go back, go back", police officials asked them to maintain peace and conduct their protest peacefully.
Chinmoy Biswal, DCP (southeast), said the students wanted to take out a march from Jamia to Rajghat but were denied permission.
"They were being repeatedly told that the protest should be carried out peacefully. We had barricaded the road just before the Holy Family hospital. Meanwhile, a person was seen in the crowd who waved something which appeared to be a weapon."
Massive protests erupted in the area after the incident with hundreds of agitated people gathering near the university, breaking barricades and clashing with police personnel.
The man, who identified himself as "Rambhakt Gopal", was subsequently overpowered by police and detained. He was taken into custody and was being interrogated, police said.
"We have detained him and are interrogating him. One person has also been injured," Biswal said.
Minutes before he fired at anti-CAA protesters in Jamia Nagar on Thursday, the armed man wrote multiple Facebook posts berating the agitators and their 'Aazaadi' slogans, and hinting he was prepared for any eventuality.
He wrote: "Aazaadi de raha hun (giving you the freedom)", "Shaheen bhag khel khatm" (Run Shaheen, the game is over), "Mere ghar ka khayal rakhna" (take care of my home) and "meri antim yatra par mujhe bhagve me le jayen aur shree ram ke nare hon" (wrap me in the saffron for my last rites and chant Shri Ram).
The man who named himself "Rambhakt Gopal" in his Facebook profile, which has now been deleted, also said he is taking revenge for "Chandan Bhai", apparently referring to a Chandan Gupta who died of gunshot wounds after he was shot at during a motorcycle rally taken out to celebrate the Republic Day in 2018.
"Chandan bhai ye badla aapke liye hai (this revenge is for you)," he had posted.
(PTI)