Armed duo walks into TMC office, shoots at councillor

KOLKATA: Two armed men walked into a Trinamool Congress party office in Budge Budge on Sunday evening and shot at a 33-year-old councillor at pointblank range. Mithun Thikadar, councillor of Ward 20 of the Budge Budge Municipality, has been admitted to CMRI with two bullet wounds — one below his chest and the other in his abdomen. His condition is critical.

According to sources, Thikadar had just returned from a bridge-inauguration programme attended by party MP Abhishek Banerjee. He was talking to his party workers at the Chitrigunj party office. Witnesses claimed that around 8.40pm, two armed men walked into the office and hurled crude bombs. Once inside the party office, they reportedly shot at Thikadar twice and fled. Some party workers tried to chase them but the assailants kept throwing crude bombs all the while.

Thikadar, who was barely conscious, was taken to a local nursing home and then to CMRI. He had told police and the Budge Budge Municipality vice-chairman, Gautam Dasgupta, two names, ostensibly that of his attackers.

Dasgupta said, “He did mention two names. We have informed police about it. This was done by the BJP, because Thikadar was our party’s election in-charge in the area.” BJP national president Rahul Sinha, however, said Trinamool internal feud was behind the attack.

Diamond Harbour SP S Selvamurugan said, “Witnesses have told us about two assailants. It is too early to comment on investigations.” According to locals, Thikadar is loyal to Dasgupta. He was targeted several times earlier. Last October, his own party workers had implicated him in an attempt-tomurder FIR.