Image courtesy: Telegraph
Bengal has turned into more than just an electoral battleground over the last few weeks with new incidents of violence and even death being reported frequently. The latest are two separate incidents of violence; one targeting West Bengal’s Minister of Minorities and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Giasuddin Molla, and another where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state chief Dilip Ghosh’s convoy was attacked.
Giasuddin Molla was attacked in the Utsi area of Diamond Harbour. Molla was the TMC’s candidate from Magrahat West where elections were held on Tuesday. According to The Telegraph the incident took place at approximately 6:30 P.M on Wednesday, when Molla was on his way to attend a meeting. The attackers vandalised his car and physically assaulted Molla, who was then rushed to a private hospital with head injuries. Following the attack, TMC supporters blocked NH117 and also railway tracks in Sealdah South section. Paramilitary forces were deployed to control the situation.
The other incident took place when Dilip Ghosh was campaigning in Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar district. Shortly after his public meeting ended, his convoy was attacked. Ghosh blamed the TMC saying, “TMC goons carrying TMC flags hurled crude bombs on my vehicle and shattered my vehicle’s window. They also assaulted multiple karyakartas of BJP and also vandalised multiple cars. Police men were seen retreating.” He added, “This happened following a public meeting at Sitalkuchi, at the very spot where the meeting was conducted.”
State of democracy in Paschim Banga is pathetic. TMC goons carrying TMC flags hurled crude bombs on my vehicle and shattered my vehicle’s window. They also assaulted multiple karyakartas of BJP and also vandalised multiple cars. Police men were seen retreating. pic.twitter.com/x7GlRvd0q0
— Dilip Ghosh (@DilipGhoshBJP) April 7, 2021
The Telegraph reports that following this attack on Ghosh, there were several clashes between BJP and TMC party workers and supporters at many other locations around Sitalkuchi. BJP members also held a demonstration outside the office of the Chief Electoral Officer in Kolkata. Protests are also planned outside police stations in the Cooch Behar region today, where it is the last day of campaigning.
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