Class-VII student shot at during TMC-BJP clash
Darjeeling: A Class-VII student fell prey to post poll violence and clashes between two political outfits in Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur district on Friday. The boy suffered bullet injuries on his leg.
The incident occurred in Mukdumi in Chopra. TMC and BJP supporters were sitting at a tea stall on Friday morning and discussing the polls that concluded in that area on Thursday.
Incidentally, there were reports of sporadic violence from Chopra in the Darjeeling Parliamentary Constituency during polls on Thursday.
The discussion suddenly became heated and resulted in a scuffle between the two sides. Hearing the commotion Abdul Mohammad, the Class-VII student, stepped out of his house to inquire about the matter.
Suddenly, a shot was fired that hit Abdul on his leg. "We went looking for Abdul and brought him home. As his condition was steadily deteriorating we rushed him to the Chopra Primary Health Centre," said Ashfaq Alam, the uncle of the victim.
A large police contingent arrived after being informed about the shootout. An investigation has been initiated. However, no arrests have been made yet.
"I had just stepped out to see what the commotion was about when I heard a shot. The next thing I remember is that there was excruciating pain and I fell down," Abdul said.
The TMC has blamed the BJP for the incident.
"BJP party activists have been vandalising our houses and shops. They are the ones who fired the bullet injuring Abdul," said Mohammad Mushtaq, a local TMC leader.
The elections were by and large peaceful in the Hills while in the plains there were reports of spray incidents of violence. Technical snag in EVMs was a common factor in the Hills and plains.
Congress candidate from Raiganj and Kanhaiya Lal Agarwal TMC candidate from the Raiganj constituency had to wait at the polling stations to cast their votes owing to snags in the EVMs.
Around 9.30 am local residents of Middapara and Dighi colony staged a road blockade on National Highway no. 31 demanding CAPF in booth number 180 in Chopra under the Darjeeling constituency.
