Attack on BJP leaders: Siliguri MLA discharged; MP still serious
The Statesman | 9 October 2025Speaking to reporters outside the hospital, Dr Ghosh said north Malda MP Khagen Murmu remained in a serious condition. “Doctors have advised him not to speak. If he continues to respond to visitors and talks, he may lose the ability to speak permanently,” he said. “Party leadership is discussing options for better treatment and where that treatment can be provided appropriately.”
Describing the assault, Dr Ghosh said a large stone thrown at Mr Murmu struck just below his eye and fractured a delicate facial bone. “If the boulder had hit the upper part of his face, he could have lost his eye — and had it hit slightly higher, it could have been fatal,” he said.
Dr Ghosh also alleged the attackers smashed the vehicle. “They broke all the windows of our car. The police intentionally blocked the road so the attackers could get to us. When we asked the police to clear the road so we could leave, they effectively fled the area,” he claimed.
He said there had been no provocation while they were talking to locals and disaster victims. “Suddenly, as pre-planned, a group of people came and told us to leave the area because we belong to the BJP. They were even asking why I had criticised Mamata Banerjee for dancing at the Carnival,” he said.
“The chief minister visited Khagen Murmu only to get a photo opportunity, to project herself as compassionate and humane before the public,” Dr Ghosh said. “But she deliberately avoided meeting me, knowing that I would question her government’s failure to protect elected representatives.”
“Can I not speak as a citizen after nearly 30 people died in this disaster?” he asked. “Some people were calling themselves ‘amra didi’r sainik’ (we are Didi’s soldiers). Had I been knocked down there, they would have beaten me to death. Because Khagen da was with me, I couldn’t run when they started attacking us from behind, hurling abusive language,” the Siliguri MLA added.
Without naming the assailants, Dr Ghosh warned that the attackers knew their identities and said the incident was worrying for the state. “If this trend continues, West Bengal will face an alarming situation. The village we visited has also seen recent demographic changes,” he said.
