Kolkata Congress man ‘attacked’ over wall writing

KOLKATA: A Congress worker involved in writing graffiti for Kolkata South Congress candidate Mita Chakraborty was allegedly assaulted by more than 15 Trinamool supporters at a Kasba neighbourhood. The Congress staged a protest against alleged police inaction in arresting the culprits, even as the leaders decided to approach the election commission.

This is the first reported police case of a Congress supporter being attacked in the city.

The victim, Tarun Kanti Halder, alleged he was threatened and attacked with iron rods while he was whitewashing a wall around 10.30pm on Friday on South Bosepukur Road. He claimed the attackers also used obscene language. “The attackers all of a sudden started to hit him in the face and chest. There was no argument... he was caught off guard,” said a Congress supporter, Subal Adhikary, who claimed to be a witness. Congress workers claimed to be apprehensive of further attacks as some Trinamool supporters had allegedly threatened both Congress and CPM workers in the run-up to the polls, Haldar claimed before police but could not produce any evidence. “We worked for our party despite threats. We organised meetings and rallies. When goons threatened people, we put up resistance,” Adhikary told TOI.

Halder, hailing from Jahura Bazar area, was discharged from hospital after preliminary treatment, claimed police.

The Trinamool, however, refuted the allegation and said the opposition was cooking up tales, staring at an imminent defeat. The police, which have registered a case under sections 324 and 506, said they had identified three of the accused.