Kolkata, Sept. 30 -- Rebel Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal was heckled and allegedly threatened by a group of youths who vandalised a party office in Suri, the headquarters of Birbhum district, on Wednesday, police said.
Mondal was inside the office when the youths allegedly confronted him, pulled him by his kurta and questioned him over what they described as "15 years of TMC oppression" in the district.
The group, carrying sticks and tree branches, allegedly went on to damage chairs, tables, glass panels and an air-conditioning unit despite repeated pleas from Mondal to stop. A video clip of the incident later surfaced on social media.
The incident comes at a politically significant juncture as Mondal is now associated with the rebel Trinamool Congress faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee. The faction broke away from the Mamata Banerjee-led party and subsequently aligned with the Democratic Trinamool Congress-Congress camp.
Mondal had earlier been a powerful organisational figure of the TMC in Birbhum and was once a close aide of former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. His move to the rebel camp marked a significant shift in his political positioning.
It was not immediately clear whether the youths involved in Wednesday's incident had any political affiliation.
In the video, one of the youths is heard questioning Mondal over what he described as "15 years" of oppression and asking how many "dialogues" he had given. Mondal is seen attempting to reason with the group and asking them to listen.
Police later reached the spot and brought the situation under control. Several men outside the office defended the action, alleging that Mondal had subjected people to "so much oppression".
Mondal subsequently left the premises with the help of two associates and got into his vehicle. He declined to comment.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.