Five TMC men beaten up for 'not chanting Jai Shri Ram'

Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Wednesday alleged that five of its workers were beaten up by BJP men in Raiganj in North Dinajpur district after they refused to chant 'Jai Shri Ram'. The incident took place at Singardaha village under Karandighi police station.

The BJP has, however, denied the allegation.

Of the five injured, who were first taken to Karandighi primary health centre, two of them have been shifted to Raiganj Government Medical College and Hospital.

"We have started an investigation into the incident," said a senior police officer.

Sources said that five TMC workers were catching fish in a pond when local BJP workers started beating them up suspecting them to be cow smuggler. Later, they were asked to chant 'Jai Shri Ram' which they refused to say. "We have lodged a complaint against BJP workers at Karandighi police station," said a local TMC leader.

However, no one has been arrested yet.

The BJP, on the other hand, said the incident was a fallout of a TMC infighting. "The allegations are baseless. They have been fighting over a monetary dispute and now blaming us for the incident," said a local BJP leader.

(With inputs from Indian Express)