Tension prevailed at the Baburhat BDO office area after Bharatiya Janata Party and Trinamul Congress activists clashed with each other as they submitted their nomination papers.
An Assistant Subinspector of Police was seriously injured in the clash. A total of 15 persons, including the Officer in-charge of the Baburhat police outpost, Sachindra Nath Basuniya, became victims of stone-pelting from political workers.
Police personnel in large numbers and the Rapid Action Force were deployed in the area to control the situation. The injured ASI was admitted to the Baburhat block hospital.
Another injured person, a Trinamul activist, was admitted in the same hospital. The rest of the injured were released after first aid, it is learnt.
“Three of our policemen were injured in the incident. We have detained 15 persons who damaged government property and attacked our police personnel. We will take stern action against all who were involved in the act,” said the Alipurduar Superintendent of Police, Avaru Rabindranath.
Ten four-wheelers and five motorcycles were damaged in the clash, it is learnt Meanwhile, BJP and TMC activists blamed each other for the incident.
According to the Alipurduar district President of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Ganga Prasad Sharma, police remained a mere spectator when his party members were being assaulted by TMC workers.
“Trinamul Congress firstly attacked two of our panchayat candidates from Patlakhawa village under Alipurduar block-1 while they were on their way to submit their nomination papers on Thursday. Our workers who were present there tried to stop the assault and the clash started there. Trinamul workers thrashed our activists in front of the police,” said Mr Sharma.
“Police have arrested 10 activists of our camp including some panchayat candidates,” added Mr Sharma.
“Bharatiya Janata Party members attacked our workers all of a sudden. The attack was already planned. BJP activists gathered at the block office with packets full of stones and empty bottles which they hurled on us and over the police on Thursday. At least 12 of our activists became victim of the heinous attack of the Bharatiya Janata Party,” said the President of the Alipurduar No-1 block Trinamul Congress Committee, Manaranjan Dey.