Bengal Polls 2021: Violence rocks Cooch Behar again- Three houses vandalised, two injured at Bhetaguri

Police brought the situation under control and seized crude bombs from Bhetaguri and the adjoining Burirhat

The ransacked house of a Trinamul supporter at Bhetaguri in Cooch Behar’s Dinhata on Friday.: Main Uddin Chisti

TT   |   Cooch Behar   |   27.03.21 : Three houses were vandalised and two men injured in a clash between supporters of the Trinamul Congress and the BJP near Dinhata on Thursday night.

In a separate incident, alleged BJP supporters ransacked a club near Mathabhanga on Thursday night.

Fresh bouts of violence had been reported in Cooch Behar district before Vivek Dube, the special police observer deputed by the Election Commission of India, reached here on Friday to review the law and order.

Dube was instructed by the commission to visit the district after BJP leader Amit Sarkar had been found dead in Dinhata and the consequent violence.

Special police observer Vivek Dube in the town.:Main Uddin Chisti

Trinamul and BJP supporters clashed at Futani Bazaar of Shakdal village in the Bhetaguri 2 panchayat of Dinhata subdivision on Thursday night. Four houses — three of Trinamul and one of the BJP — were ransacked. Two Trinamul supporters suffered serious injuries in the clash.

Police brought the situation under control and seized crude bombs from Bhetaguri and the adjoining Burirhat.

“There are reports that crude bombs are lobbed at night to intimidate people at some villages. We are keeping a watch over the situation and have intensified patrolling,” said a police officer.

The club ransacked by the alleged BJP supporters is located at Bherbheri-Manabari near Mathabhanga. Bikram Dutta, the club’s secretary, has filed a complaint with police. “We suspect the attack was carried out as club members are into various social works in the area with the assistance provided by the state government,” he said.

BJP leaders have denied the charges and said the vandalism was the fallout of differences among the club members.

Lalit Pramanik, who had left Trinamul recently and joined the BJP, alleged that some Trinamul supporters had manhandled him on Friday evening.

Sources said Pramanik had been returning from Lalbazar in the Sitalkuchi Assembly segment under the Mathabhanga subdivision when some people had intercepted his car.

“They ransacked my SUV and assaulted me and two BJP supporters who were in the vehicle. The attackers have asked me not to campaign for the BJP,” said Pramanik.

Trinamul leaders have brushed aside the allegation.

Dube, who arrived in Cooch Behar by a helicopter, held a meeting with the district magistrate and other administrative and police officers.

The Election Commission had transferred district police chief K. Kannan on Thursday.

District Trinamul leaders have demanded that the investigation into the death of Amit Sarkar be expedited and the findings be made public at the earliest.