BJP Panchayat member thrashes ex-TMC Upapradhan; 1 held

Malda: A BJP Panchayat member, Bhaskar Mandal, and his gang allegedly stripped and thrashed the former female Upapradhan of Dharampur Gram Panchayat on Sunday night at her house in Ratantola village under Manikchak Police Station.

The victim is under treatment at Manikchak Hospital with serious injuries. The police have started an investigation and arrested one of the eight accused.

Balai Saha, the husband of the injured Trinamool’s former female leader, said: “Since the time of the election, our family has been repeatedly threatened by the BJP of dire consequences if we don’t switch to BJP.”

It is further alleged that even after winning the election, the BJP people continued to threaten the family to vacate the house. The woman was alone at home on Sunday when Bhaskar and his gang allegedly entered the house and beat her severely. When her husband tried to get her out of the house, she was thrown on the street and beaten.

Later, when she was lying on the street with serious injuries, the family members rescued her and admitted her to Manikchak Rural Hospital. Abdur Rahim Boxi, district president of TMC, said: “The incident is very shameful and condemnable. The police must find the accused and penalise them as per law.”

However, district BJP general secretary Gour Chandra Mondal claimed all the allegations as false.

Taking to X, All India Trinamool Congress said: “With vehement disregard for peace and tranquility, BJP continues to display their barbaric nature!”