Attack finger at TMC rival group

TT, Jalpaiguri, Jan. 4: A Trinamul Youth leader from Jalpaiguri was attacked by suspected members of a rival lobby last night, bringing to the fore inner-party feud once again.

Subhankar Mishra, 38, is under treatment at a private nursing home in Siliguri.

Mishra's wife has filed a police complaint accusing Abhijit Sinha, Jalpaiguri district Trinamul Chhatra Parishad president, and 13 others. Two persons have been arrested.

The incident took place around 11pm yesterday, when Subhankar, known to be a close aide of Saikat Chatterjee, the Jalpaiguri district Trinamul Youth president, was returning to his home on New Circular Road in town.

Subhankar's wife Artuha Mishra Majumdar has stated in her complaint that when he was near Kadamtala More, a group led by Sinha attacked him. "They hacked him on the neck and cheek and fled in a car and motorcycles. Subhankar managed to call up few party leaders and informed them about the attack," she said.

Subhankar was taken to the Jalpaiguri district hospital and today he was shifted to a Siliguri nursing home.

Trinamul insiders said Chatterjee had asked Subhankar to monitor the process of student union elections in the colleges of Jalpaiguri town and help candidates from their lobby in collecting and submitting nominations. "Till now, Sinha and his men had absolute hold in the colleges here. Because of differences between Sinha and Chatterjee, the latter decided to field candidates from his lobby," a source said.

Today, Chatterjee and his followers demonstrated at Kotwali police station. "The attackers, most of whom are anti-socials, should be arrested immediately," Chatterjee said.

TMCP workers Samya Basak and Rahul Chowdhury were arrested and they have been remanded in 14 days' jail custody. "Searches are on to arrest the others," Bholanath Pandey, additional superintendent of police, Jalpaiguri, said.

Today, however, Sinha was found sitting in his home co-ordinating with his workers.

"None from the TMCP was involved. We have been falsely implicated," he said.