Case against CPM leaders

TT, Siliguri: Police on Tuesday filed a suo motu case against nine Left leaders, including local MLA and mayor Asok Bhattacharya, after CPM leaders and supporters tossed kerosene on cops as they tried to prevent them from burning an effigy of chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday.

Asok Bhattacharya The inspector-in-charge of Siliguri police station, Debasish Bose, Samir Tamang and Subal Ghosh, the officers-incharge of Panitanki police outpost and Khalpara police outpost, respectively, tried to stop the Left workers with other policemen when they tried to burn the effigy. It was at that time that some Left supporters allegedly threw kerosene ­ that they were carrying to burn the ­ at the police officials. The oil was sprinkled on these officers and also in their eyes.

"We had an irritation in the eyes and skin. All of us are still under medication," said an officer.

Later, senior CPM leaders denied the charge and said the Left supporters had no intention of sprinkling kerosene on the police officers.

On Tuesday, police filed the case, accusing Asok Bhattacharya and Jibesh Sarkar, the Darjeeling district CPM secretary for criminal conspiracy.

Seven other Left workers and leaders, have been accused of other serious charges, including attempt to murder, criminal intimidation, assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharging his duty.

"After the incident, a case has been registered against all those who were involved in it. An investigation has started," said a senior official of Siliguri Metropolitan Police.

The CPM leaders, however, has alleged that the police are playing biased.

"The allegation that kerosene was sprinkled on the police with wrong intention is baseless. The police are trying to use it as an opportunity to arrest our workers and leaders but they can't stop us from organising movement on the Daribhit issue," said Jibesh Sarkar.