TROUBLE IN COOCHBEHAR

Bandh, party offices ransacked, Spl IG visited Tufanganj

 

COOCH BEHAR, Feb. 12: Sixteen persons have been arrested so far in connection with the incident of attack on district CPI-M secretary Mr Chandi Pal that occurred at Chilakhana in Cooch Behar yesterday, according to the Special Inspector General of Police Mr DT Lepcha. The Special IG visited the trouble-torn areas in Tufanganj sub-division today. He also visited the injured CPI-M leader and three policemen at MJN Hospital here and inquired about their progress of recovery.

 

Replying a question, Mr Lepcha said an inquiry was going on into yesterday's incident. It is yet to be completed, he added. Three cases were lodged in connection with the incident, he said.

 

It was learnt that following yesterday's incident total four offices of both the CPI-M and the Trinamul Congress have been damaged at Sitalkuchi.

 

Today, the CPI-M sponsored 12-hour bandh passed off almost peacefully in the district. Tension was there at Sitalkuchi over taking out of two rallies by the CPI-M and the Trinamul Congress. The police took timely steps to avert any clash, claimed Cooch Behar SP Mr Devendra Prakash Singh.

 

District magistrate Mr Rajesh Kumar Sinha said the bandh was peaceful. He received a primary report from the police on the attack on the CPI-M leader and passed it on to the higher authorities, Mr Sinha said. He however denied divulging the content of the report.

 

Today, ADM (General) Mr PK Pal had to face fury of bandh supporters when he was entering the office. He drove away from the place immediately and averted attack on him.

 

On the otherhand, state forest minister Mr Ananta Roy, who is also a CPI-M district secretariat member, alleged that a few CPI-M offices have been attacked and ransacked at Sitalkuchi and Natabari last night. District Trinamul Congress president Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh instigated yesterday's attack on Mr Chandi Pal and attacks on party offices. He demanded immediate arrest of Mr Ghosh. "I shall talk with the chief minister again to instruct police to arrest the Trinamul leader", he said.

 

District Trinamul Congress president Mr Rabindra Nath Ghosh said the CPI-M was trying to get mileage from a mere road accident by painting it with political colours. The car in which Mr Chandi Pal was coming towards Cooch Behar town yesterday met a mishap when it tried to save a calf at a place between Bhairaber-tari and Baxiguri. The place is about a distance of 2.5-km from Natabari Bazar. The villagers, who were incidentally Trinamul supporters rescued him and his wife and helped them to board the police vehicle that was following the car. Trinamul Congress was not involved with the incident, he claimed.

 

Mr Ghosh said the CPI-M lost its control in Tufanganj sub-division since the panchayat elections and so it was trying to regain its lost power. But, it is not wise to pass a road accident by an attack, he opined. He alleged that the CPI-M lodged false complaints against him, as it was not possible for any absent man to lead any attack. He alleged that since yesterday CPI-M goons assaulted many Trinamul supporters. They even blazed a house at Dhalpal, he alleged.