Kolkata, April 1: In a troubling incident on March 31, the convoy of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate was allegedly attacked by Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers in the Kesribari area of Cooch Behar South Assembly constituency. Reports indicate that a vehicle in the BJP convoy was vandalized, resulting in injuries to a BJP worker. The injured individual is currently receiving treatment at a local hospital.
Rathindranath Bose, the BJP candidate for Cooch Behar South, directly accused the TMC of orchestrating the attack. However, TMC leadership has refuted these claims, asserting that the incident stemmed from spontaneous public outrage.
According to police, the BJP candidate was returning to Cooch Behar after concluding a campaign event with other party leaders. The attack reportedly occurred as the convoy passed through the Kesribari area. While the candidate’s vehicle remained unharmed, another vehicle in the convoy sustained damage.
Ajit Das, a BJP worker, was injured during the incident and was transported to Maharaja Jitendra Narayan Medical College and Hospital in Cooch Behar for treatment.
Discussing the event, Rathindranath Bose stated that they had planned to meet with party workers in a rural area that morning. Suddenly, they received reports that some outsiders had torn down their party flags and set them on fire. A large crowd had gathered, but most dispersed quickly. However, a few remained, and they proceeded with their meeting.
Bose further recounted that on their return, they noticed TMC supporters advancing towards them, armed with bamboo sticks adorned with TMC flags. They launched an attack, breaking all the windows of a specific vehicle and injuring several of their companions with bamboo sticks, resulting in head and shoulder injuries.
He criticized the police for their absence, stating that not a single officer was present despite prior notification of their visit to the area.
In response, TMC leader Abdul Jalil Ahmed dismissed the allegations as baseless. He noted that the arbitrary removal of names from voter lists in villages and rural areas has led to protests wherever they occur. He emphasized that the TMC had no involvement in the incident, attributing the public’s anger to broader issues.
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