BJP, Left supporters who had fled Cooch Behar to escape poll violence escorted from Assam

Since July 8 the people were in Ranpagli, Dhubri, after being attacked by suspected Trinamul supporters. They had been staying at a school where the Assam government had opened a relief centre

Cooch Behar-based supporters of CPM and BJP board a bus near the relief camp in Dhubri, Assam, on Thursday.: Main Uddin Chisti

TT, Cooch Behar, 14.07.23 : The Cooch Behar administration on Thursday brought back over 140 people — Left and BJP supporters and even some rural poll candidates — from Dhubri district of BJP-ruled Assam to their villages in Cooch Behar.

Since July 8, these people were in Ranpagli, Dhubri, after being attacked by suspected Trinamul supporters. They had been staying at a school where the Assam government had opened a relief centre.

On Thursday, a team of the district police reached the camp with buses. These people were escorted by cops to their villages.

Then, administrative officials and the police held meetings with villagers in some localities, asking residents to stay peacefully.

“In all, 142 persons were brought back today (Thursday). We will ensure they don’t face problems in their villages,” said an official.

Nikhil Ranjan Dey, the BJP MLA of Cooch Behar South, and Tamsher Ali, a former MLA and a CPM leader, visited the relief camp in Assam earlier in the day.

Party sources said many BJP candidates who won from Alipurduar and Cooch Behar moved to Assam to evade pressure "to defect". They will return in time to form panchayat boards.