Ex-TMC Panchayat member, kin attacked in Malda

Malda: Tension flared in the Shreepur area under Shreepur-I Gram Panchayat of Ratua-II block in Malda district after a former Trinamool Congress (TMC) gram panchayat member and her mother-in-law were allegedly assaulted on Monday.

The incident took place within the jurisdiction of Pukhuria police station.

The injured, identified as Nur Seba Khatun, a former gram panchayat member who served from 2017 to 2022, and her mother-in-law, Saheda Bewa, are currently undergoing treatment.

According to the complaint, the assault stemmed from a dispute over cutting bamboo on a piece of land. Khatun alleged that political rivalry played a role in the attack. “Since I was a member of the ruling party, there had been resentment against me from CPI(M)-backed miscreants in the area. Today, when my mother-in-law protested against them cutting bamboo on our land, they attacked both of us,” she said.

Her husband, Samidur Rahman, also condemned the incident. “This was not just a land dispute. There has been long-standing political animosity. My wife and mother were beaten up mercilessly.

We want strict action against those involved,” he said. A written complaint has been lodged with the police. Officials of Pukhuria police station confirmed that an investigation has been initiated into the matter. However, no arrests had been reported so. The incident has once again highlighted simmering political tensions in parts of rural Malda, where local-level rivalries often escalate into violence.