The bandh call received a positive response even as a large number of police officials were deployed in Dinhata.
The BJP, on the other hand, gave a call to demonstrate outside the superintendent of police’s office in Cooch Behar district later Wednesday to protest the incident. Governor C V Ananda Bose, who has sought a report from the state police chief on the altercation and confrontation between Pramanik and Guha, will visit Dinhata later on Wednesday.
On Tuesday night, supporters led by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nisith Pramanik and TMC supporters led by North Bengal Development Minister Udayan Guha had an altercation that soon turned into a clash. Supporters of both ministers and the policemen who intervened suffered injuries in the fracas. Sub-Divisional Police Officer of Dinhata, Dhiman Mitra, also sustained head injuries.
The incident took place at around 9.15 pm Tuesday when Pramanik’s convoy was passing through the Choupatty area following an election campaign. TMC supporters had gathered in the area to celebrate Guha’s birthday.
While Guha alleged that Pramanik got down from his convoy and attacked the TMC supporters with his security officials, Pramanik claimed that stones were pelted and bombs were hurled at his convoy.
Both ministers came face to face and the police and central forces had a tough time controlling the leaders. Later, supporters of both sides got involved in a clash and around four people were hospitalised. Later, Guha staged a protest in front of the police station demanding the immediate arrest of the attackers.
The Cooch Behar Lok Sabha constituency will go to polls in the first phase of the seven-phase general elections on April 19.
“It was a planned attack. They, with the help of central forces, got down from the convoy and started attacking the TMC workers and police with bamboo poles and stones. How can he go around with a convoy of so many vehicles and with beacons and hooters when the MCC [model code of conduct] is in place? They are unleashing terror in the area. We will write to the Election Commission,” Guha said.
Denying the allegations, Pramanik said, “They hurled bombs and pelted stones at the last vehicle of my convoy. When I got out of the vehicle to see what was happening, they attacked us. Udayan Guha is doing all this as he knows that his party will lose the election there.”
The Election Commission, meanwhile, called up the Cooch Behar district magistrate to take stock of the situation.
Apart from seeking a report from the police, Governor Bose has also sent a list of habitual offenders received through the ‘Log Sabha’ portal for appropriate preventive action to restrain them from blocking free and fair elections.