Deb dials to end feud

TT, Siliguri, Oct. 2: Attacks and counter-attacks between two rival Trinamul groups led by leaders in New Jalpaiguri for the past few days has made Darjeeling district party chief Gautam Deb step in.

Deb, who is the MLA of Dabgram-Fulbari under which New Jalpaiguri comes, has become worried about the clashes occurring on a regular basis between the groups headed by former Trinamul councillor Joydip Nandi and the other lobby headed by Prasenjit Roy, a Trinamul leader in the NJP area.

"For the past two-three days, there have been several clashes between groups headed by Nandi and Prasenjit. Gautam Deb is worried about the situation as such open clashes between the two lobbies are maligning the party's image," a senior Trinamul leader said. "Yesterday, he spoke to both sides over the phone and articulated his anguish and told them to abstain from any violence during the Durga Puja days."

Trinamul insiders said such incidents had become common since the death of Bijon Nandi, a prominent Trinamul leader of NJP, earlier this year.

"Joydip is Bijon's brother, while Prasenjit used to be his right-hand man. After his death, both Joydip and Prasenjit are trying to gain absolute control in NJP area where there are around 15 trade unions affiliated to the Inttuc. This is leading to clashes," a party insider said.

A couple of days back, Prasenjit had alleged that some people belonging to Nandi's faction had attacked his hotel and broken a car and a two-wheeler. They also allegedly assaulted some women living in the area.

On the other hand, Nandi had alleged that Prasenjit's cohorts had barged into the premises of Agrani Sangha, a local club that organises Durga Puja, and ransacked the place.

Both sides filed complaints and in total, police sources said, seven complaints have been registered.

It all started when a group of youths, suspected to be members of Nandi's faction, attacked Prasenjit's hotel on Thursday morning. They threw bricks and stones and also ransacked a car and a two-wheeler parked nearby. "We have CCTV cameras installed in the hotel. We have seen the footage which clearly shows that they had organised the attack," Prasenjit said.

"Also, on Friday night, they attacked some houses of our supporters and assaulted the women in these families."

Nandi came up with a counter-allegation.

"A group of miscreants have carried out ransack at Agrani Sangha, one of the prominent clubs in NJP. We are closely associated with the club and want all those involved to be arrested immediately," he said.

Yesterday morning, Nandi started a hunger strike, demanding that members of the other group be arrested. While he and his supporters sat on the hunger strike near Agrani Sangha, Prasenjit and his supporters sat in a demonstration at Rajahali close to NJP station. They were demanding police action against those who had attacked their houses and Prasenjit's hotel.

Former district Trinamul president Ranjan Sarkar and Darjeeling district Inttuc president Arup Ratan Ghosh went to NJP but the local leaders refused to budge. The Agrani Sangha threatened to stop holding the Puja and raised a road blockade yesterday evening.

Senior police officers spoke to club members and asked them to go ahead with the Puja and assured them that all steps to maintain law and order during the festival days would be taken. Nandi withdrew his hunger strike in the evening after speaking to Deb over phone.

"Thousands of tourists move through NJP station and nearby areas every day and in case they find that our supporters are fighting among themselves, it would leave a negative impact about the party," a Trinamul source said.

Deb, when asked about the issue, was brief in his reaction. "I will soon speak to the leaders and workers of our party. We don't want any undesirable incident or tension in NJP. The police have been instructed to take all necessary steps for the upkeep of law and order."