Kolkata, March 15 -- Kolkata Police have arrested nine persons, including four on Saturday night and five on Sunday morning, in connection with the attack and vandalism at the residence of senior Trinamool Congress leader and state Cabinet minister Shashi Panja.
The Election Commission has sought a report from Kolkata Police regarding the incident. According to sources, a group of BJP workers heading to the Brigade Parade Ground on Saturday to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public meeting allegedly pelted stones at Panja's residence near Girish Park crossing. In the alleged attack, the minister and several Trinamool Congress workers and leaders sustained injuries.
Calling the incident pre-planned, Panja alleged that BJP workers were responsible for the attack. "The attackers were criminals and it was pre-planned. BJP goons are responsible for this. The buses heading to the Brigade today were carrying bricks, glass bottles and bombs. They launched an attack on my home on Girish Park Main Road. I was attacked and I have kept photographs of those who carried out the attack," she said.
Police sources said that when officers tried to stop the alleged attackers, they were obstructed. The officer-in-charge of Bowbazar police station, Bappaditya Naskar, who reached the spot, was assaulted and sustained injuries.
A large police contingent was later deployed and the situation was brought under control. A complaint was subsequently lodged at Girish Park police station.
After examining CCTV footage, police identified several alleged BJP workers. Four were arrested from the Baranagar area on Saturday night, while five more were picked up from different parts of the city on Sunday morning.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.