Kolkata, Sept. 22 -- Former IPS officer and ex-MLA of Debra, Humayun Kabir and Mamata All India Trinamool Congress (MAITC) youth leader Upasana Chowdhury were among several party workers allegedly attacked during a rally in Mukundapur on Tuesday evening.

The rally was marching from Mukunda Bhavan to East Jadavpur Police Station to submit a deputation over the alleged takeover of their party offices in the Jadavpur area, when, according to MAITC, BJP workers attacked the procession. Several MAITC workers, including women, were injured. Kabir, who was heading towards the police station, was allegedly attacked near its gate. In a Facebook Live after the incident, Kabir appeared with blood on his face and alleged that BJP miscreants had assaulted him and others in front of police personnel. He claimed that he, Baishwanor Chattopadhyay and others were detained by police instead of those who had allegedly attacked them.

Upasana alleged that the attackers were drunk and hurled eggs, bricks and stones at the procession. "They were drunk and attacked us. They tried to molest me and other women," she alleged, claiming women workers were dragged and beaten on the road.

She further alleged that her car and house were vandalised and that she and her associates were assaulted in front of her parents. Chowdhury claimed her father, who has been recovering from a stroke, was beaten when he tried to intervene, while her mother was also allegedly assaulted. She alleged that attackers pulled her hair, dragged her onto the road and pulled at her clothes.

Krishnanagar MP Mahua Moitra claimed Kabir was "brutally attacked" by BJP workers at the gate of Purba Jadavpur Police Station, with around 50 policemen allegedly watching. She further claimed that Kabir was being held inside the police station while alleged attackers tried to break open the police station gates. MAITC MLA Kunal Ghosh said he tried to reach the police station after receiving information about the attack but was stopped as police had blocked the gate. He alleged that BJP workers were trying to break into the police station and questioned whether it was "jungle raj" if a citizen could not even enter a police station.

Several other MAITC workers were injured, with party sources saying some were hospitalised. The party alleged police inaction during the attack and said police later resorted to lathi-charge to restore order. An FIR was also lodged, according to MAITC.

Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose alleged a "politics of violence", while Derek O'Brien said party colleagues had been brutally attacked and asked, "WHERE IS THE POLICE?" Kalyan Banerjee alleged that Kabir was "seriously assaulted by BJP hooligans" and accused police of being silent spectators.

The BJP denied the allegations, claiming instead that a BJP worker passing through the area was stopped and assaulted by MAITC workers. The party alleged that the clash began after MAITC members started filming the BJP worker.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.