KOLKATA: BJP’s district secretary was shot at Khejuri in East Midnapore district on Sunday afternoon following a clash between the supporters of the ruling Trinamool Congress and the saffron camp, said police. The injured had a narrow escape as a bullet hit his left hand.
A preliminary investigation conducted by the local police revealed the incident took place when a group of BJP supporters, led by the party’s district secretary Pabitra Das, protested against the local Trinamool dominated panchayat’s alleged decision to sell off the trees uprooted in cyclone Amphan without floating tenders. "When the BJP activists were staging a demonstration and the supporters of Trinamool Congress assembled there. Shortly, a clash between the two groups broke out,’’ said a police officer.
During the clash, Das was seen slumping on the road and as other BJP supporters reached him, they spotted blood oozing out of his wound, said the police. Das was admitted to a local hospital.
The police said several houses were ransacked at Khejuri, the pocket adjacent to Nandigram which witnessed massive anti-land acquisition movement spearheaded by Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee during Left Front regime.
Dilip Ghosh, BJP’s Bengal unit president, alleged the Trinamool supporters attacked Das and other BJP supporters in the presence of police personnel. "Das is a very active worker of our party. He protested against the illegal act of local panchayat members. The police stood as mute spectators when the supporters of the ruling party unleashed attack," he said.
Trinamool MP in Contai, East Midnapore, Sisir Adhikary said none of his party supporters was involved in the incident.