Trinamul, CPM clash in Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri

SNS, SILIGURI, 7 JUNE: Six persons, including two women CPI-M leaders, were injured following clashes at Tufanganj in Cooch Behar and at Rajganj, Jalpaiguri today.

Two CPI-M members ~ Ms Shikha Aditya and Yamuna Sarkar, contesting candidates for zilla parishad seats in Cooch Behar, were admitted to district hospital after several Trinamul activists allegedly dragged them out of a car and beat them up in front of the Tufanganj sub-divisional office.

Ms Aditya, CPI-M district secretariat body member, was on her way to lodge a complaint with the observer.

Meanwhile, Forward Bloc member Mrs Chandana Barman, pradhan of Sitai-I gram panchayat, and her husband Mr Subhash Barman were injured while they were on their way to Dinhata sub-divisional office for filing nominations when Trinamul Congress supporters allegedly attacked them. Her husband was admitted to hospital.

Three Trinamul Congress activists were injured after the CPI-M attacked them at Rajganj in Jalpaiguri following an altercation over the parking space for party’s vehicles in front of the block development office.

Both CPI-M and Trinamul supporters started throwing stones from their respective camp offices and three Trinamul workers were injured, police said.

Trouble broke out at Jalpaiguri sadar block today when a member of a women’s self-help group filed her nomination papers for the gram panchayat seat from the CPI-M ticket.

District administrative officials in Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar alerted police to take prompt security measures for the candidates belonging to different political parties.

Notably, following the State Election Commission’s direction, the Cooch Behar district administration has made an alternative arrangement at the office of the SDO so that parties can file nomination there if they are prevented from filing nominations at the office of the BDO.

The Cooch Behar district CPI-M secretary, Mr Tarini Roy, said: “Hundreds of Trinamul activists attacked two of our women party leaders in the presence of police. They were seriously injured and admitted to district hospital for treatment.”

“No one has been arrested,” he alleged.

The Cooch Behar district Trinamul Congress president, Mr Rabindranath Ghosh was not available for comment despite several attempts.