TMC, BJP Workers Hurl Bombs at Each Other in North 24 Parganas

As the political battle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) gets more fierce by the day, ahead of the Assembly elections in the state, workers of the two parties were engaged in a violent altercation in Jagaddal area of Bhatpara, North 24 Parganas in the wee hours of Thursday, 18 March, the police said.

Speaking to ANI, Barrackpore Police Commissioner Ajay Nand said that several nearby houses were also vandalised.

“It’s fully political. Both TMC and BJP workers hurled bombs at each other and vandalised locals’ houses. The probe is underway, culprits will be arrested,” he said.

At least three people have been reported to be injured so far.

BJP Seeks Action, Calls Commissioner Biased

Earlier, speaking to ANI, Barrackpore MP Arjun Singh alleged that the TMC workers resorted to violence and also broke CCTV cameras in the vicinity.

“Bombs have been hurled at around 15 places and CCTV cameras installed by the police have been broken by three people and their associates,” he said.

Refuting claims of BJP workers being involved in the incident as well, Singh said that Nand was biased.

“The police Commissioner is biased. The bomb attack happened in the presence of the police. If it was a counterattack, where is the proof? CCTV cameras were broken. When TMC people kill, there is no footage. But if BJP carries out a procession, there’s footage,” Singh told ANI.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leaders reacted to the episode and said that they will seek action from the Election Commission.

“TMC is synonymous with 'politics of violence'. Even after implementation of MCC, goons are hurling bombs and firing bullets there. The Election Commission should take it as a warning otherwise we suspect polling would not happen peacefully there,” BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya told ANI.

“We will approach the Election Commission regarding the incident,” said Mukul Roy while speaking to the media in Delhi.

(With inputs from ANI.)