Trinamool leaders arrested for Manikchak attack on EC

Saibal Gupta | TNN, KOLKATA/MALDA: Within hours of the Election Commission cracking the whip, police on Friday arrested all those accused in connection with the attack on a poll panel team at Malda's Manikchak. Prominent Trinamool Congress district leaders, including minister for social welfare Sabitri Mitra's son-in-law Samadip Sarkar, who allegedly led the attack, were among those held.

With pre-poll violence continuing unabated, the EC has decided to depute police observers in all 42 constituencies of the state. "Previously, there were eight observers for 17 constituencies. Now, the commission has decided to depute police observers in all constituencies. An additional list of nine more police observers has been sent and they will start their work immediately," assistant chief electoral officer Amit Roychowdhury said.

Friday's swift and quick action came after the EC asked director general of police GMP Reddy to arrest all named in the FIR and send a compliance report by evening. The instruction sent a flurry among district police officers.

Trinamool block youth president and working president Mukleshur Rahman and Matiur Rahman were immediately put behind bars. Sarkar and Jamal Khan, who were absconding, surrendered before English Bazaar police station. Three persons were arrested on Thursday, taking the total number of arrests in the Manikchak case to 7.

Toning down its aggressive posture against the constitutional body, Sabitri said: "Although we are miffed with the EC decision, we chose to abide by the constitutional body. We believe that law will take its own course." 

Trinamool supporters attack EC officials in Manikchak area under South Malda constituency,
on Thursday. (PTI)

SUMMARY

Even though Hossain could be seen on camera when the officials are being slapped and pushed, he 

The Election commission took little time to respond. Dhirendra Ojha, information director of the ECI, wrote: "DGP of West Bengal has sent his compliance report and informed the Commission that all the accused who were named in the FIR have been arrested." The incident happened on Thursday when a group of Trinamool workers broke the camera and injured four EC officials when they tried to stop a bike rally at Manikchak. The rally was in support of Trinamool's Malda South candidate Moajjem Hossain at Nazirpur.

Asked if the EC is concerned about the growing incidents of violence in the state, election commissioner H S Brahma said: "We are very much concerned about the situation. If this continues then we are going to respond heavily."