North Bengal: BJP State Chief Says He Suffered Injuries After TMC Workers Attacked Car

Party workers protested in front of the Chief Electoral Officer’s building in Kolkata, asking the Election Commission to take note of the incident.

Kolkata: Bharatiya Janata Party’s West Bengal president Dilip Ghosh on Wednesday alleged that he suffered injuries after Trinamool Congress activists attacked his car with bombs and bricks in Cooch Behar district of North Bengal, a charge denied by the ruling party.

Ghosh said that the car’s windows, including the one on his side, were smashed in the attack which took place at Sitalkuchi after a public meeting of his party.

After breaking the glass, a brick hit him and he received injuries in the left hand, according to Ghosh. The BJP state chief also tweeted photographs of his arm, which appeared to have been badly scratched.

“If this is the situation, how can one expect free and fair polls in Cooch Behar, where people had voted for change in the 2019 Lok Sabha election,” Ghosh said in a video message.

The BJP won seven seats in North Bengal, including Cooch Behar, in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The election in Bengal has proven to be a violent one with the first three phases noting incidents of open clashes involving leaders, candidates and ground workers.

Also read: Bengal Polls: Violence Marks Phase 3 As TMC, BJP Both Allege Attacks on Candidates

BJP has alleged that TMC workers returning from a rally of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, which was held in another nearby town, got embroiled in a clash with BJP activists attending Ghosh’s meeting.

TMC spokesman Kunal Ghosh said that the ruling party was not involved in the attack.

“I was waiting in my vehicle after our meeting for the people to leave when we were attacked with firearms, bombs, bricks and sticks by people holding TMC flags. It was like a Talibani attack,” Ghosh said.

BJP also alleged that several country-made bombs were hurled at Ghosh’s car.

He claimed that the police did not act to prevent the attack on him and BJP supporters and said that if the Election Commission does not take immediate action, polling in constituencies in Cooch Behar will be a “farce”.

BJP leaders and workers, led by Lok Sabha MP Saumitra Khan, sat on a dharna in front of a building housing the CEOs office, in central Kolkata.


Cooch Behar district will go to polls in the fourth phase of assembly elections on April 10.

(With PTI inputs)