A woman Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporter was allegedly assaulted twice last week by Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders during a protest rally in West Bengal.
According to reports, the victim, Nilima De Sarkar, was first beaten up with sticks and thrown to the ground in the presence of policemen by the activists. She was attacked for a second time by another TMC leader while she was relaying the incident to media.
The incident was caught on camera on September 26, the day the BJP called for a 12-hour bandh to protest the death of two students in North Dinajpur district.
Sarkar along with other BJP workers had put up a rail block in Barasat near Kolkata.
According to media reports, Sarkar was first attacked by TMC workers led by local panchayat chief, Arshaduzzaman. Later, while she was giving an interview to media, she was thrown to the ground by a man identified as Qutubuddin, an aide of Arshanduzzaman.
This is the same lady Nilima De Sarkar who was “kicked” by tmc leader Arshadujjaman. Look how his accomplice Qutubuddin is thrashing her openly when she is relaying the incident to media ! @BJP4Bengal @me_locket @VijayaRahatkar @MrsGandhi pic.twitter.com/swr35EOVK9
— Keya Ghosh (@keyakahe) September 30, 2018
Scattered incidents of violence, including torching of buses and clashes were witnessed across West Bengal on Wednesday and 1,600 people were arrested during the 12-hour bandh called by the BJP.
BJP workers clashed with Trinamool activists and police at several places during the shutdown, which the saffron party claimed was a success due to “people’s support”.
The two students were killed when protesters clashed with the police on September 20 over recruitment of Urdu and Sanskrit teachers at Daribhita High School at Islampur in North Dinajpur district, the police had said.
The protesting students had said they did not require Urdu and Sanskrit teachers and demanded that teachers be recruited for science and other subjects.
The Trinamool Congress has not commented on the issue yet.
(With agency inputs)