The Trinamul Congress leadership called a 24-hours bandh in Dinhata in Cooch Behar district in protest against attacks on north Bengal development minister Udayan Guha and other party workers last night.
A political clash had broken out between a team of BJP candidate Nisith Pramanik, the outgoing Union minister of state for home affairs, and TMC activists led by Udayan Guha.
Both the leaders Mr Pramanik and Mr Guha hit the streets and chased each other.
The police and central forces, security personnel of Mr Pramanik, brought the situation under control. A police officer and a TMC worker were injured seriously as the clash broke out.
Minister Mr Guha alleged that hooligans from the convoy of Nisith Pramanik attacked us by using bow and arrows without any reason.
Similarly, Mr Pramanik alleged that TMC activists started pelting stones on them and even aimed at his car.
“Since my car is bullet proof I was unhurt. But my party district president was injured,” he added.
In protest, BJP leaders and activists amid rain today staged agitation in front of the office of superintendent of police in Cooch Behar demanding arrest of attackers.
The TMC has lodged a complaint with the police against 45 BJP activists, including Mr Pramanik.
The TMC Cooch Behar district president Abhijit De Bhowmick said, “A group of professional attackers always accompany the BJP candidate Nisith Pramanik. A professional group attacked us last night. One of our party workers was injured and he is still undergoing treatment.”
The BJP candidate Nisith Pramanik, who is contesting Lok Sabha Polls from Cooch Behar for the second time, condemned the incident and claimed, “As we were returning after campaigning from an area, I noticed that the TMC activists started pelting stones from their programme.”
A group of traders and the minister’s associates were celebrating the birthday of Mr Guha there.
After the incident TMC leaders called for a 24 hours bandh from Wednesday at 6 am.
The Dinhata town had a deserted look today. Though the bandh was peaceful, tension was palpable. An election office of a TMC candidate was ransacked today.