KOLKATA: CPM’s programme of submitting deputation to a local block development officer in North 24-Parganas district ended in a drama on Thursday evening after a party worker standing beside the security guard of an MLA sneezed and the policeman took out his pistol and aimed at him. The gun-toting constable in plain clothes said the party workers would be responsible if he gets infected by Covid-19 due to his sneezing.
Immediately, a ruckus broke out as other party workers protested. Brandishing the firearm, the policeman kept threatening to open fire. Tanmoy Bhattacharya, the CPM MLA from North Dum Dum assembly segment, and other policemen intervened and brought the situation under control. Later, the security guard said he lost his cool because he was scared of being infected with Covid-19 as the man sneezed almost on his body.
The CPM workers and supporters, led by Bhattacharya, went to the office of the BDO at Amdanga in North 24-Parganas to submit a memorandum in protest against alleged irregularities and corruption by the ruling party’s local leaders in the distribution of relief material among the people affected in cyclone Amphan.
"While coming out of the office after submitting the memorandum, one of the party workers, who was standing beside the police constable, sneezed. The policeman pushed him away and took out his pistol. The hue and cry broke out when the constable aimed the firearm at the party worker. As other party supporters started shouting at the policemen, he threatened to open fire," said a police officer who was present there.
Bhattacharya, who already boarded his car, came out and intervened. Other policemen, too, pacified the constable and other party workers. "The constable lost his cool. He said that he became scared when the man who was standing beside him sneezed loudly. But taking out the firearm is not acceptable. The security personnel has been asked to give a written explanation for his actions," said a senior officer of North 24-Pargagans police.