3 killed as bombs hurled, shots fired at Joynagar MLA's car

Kolkata: Three persons including two Trinamool Congress workers were shot dead at Joynagar in South 24-Parganas on Thursday evening. Some miscreants also hurled bombs at the vehicle of Joynagar MLA Biswanath Das, in front of a petrol pump.

Sources informed that Das had gone to the Trinamool party office at Baharu area and sent his driver along with another party worker to refuel his car. His driver had parked it outside the petrol pump and went to have tea.

All of a sudden, some miscreants started hurling bombs at the vehicle. Several bullets were also fired at the vehicle. As a result, the driver, the Trinamool worker and another person standing there sustained multiple bullet and splinter injuries. Local residents and pedestrians started running for their lives.

Das claimed that he was the target of the miscreants as he regularly visits the place and used to have tea from a stall there. On Thursday, he was late and thus went directly to the part office.

"I was the target. I visit the place regularly and interact with the people known to me there. Today I got late. So I went directly to Baharu party office. After reaching the party office I asked my driver to refuel the car, after which he went there with another party worker," said Das.

According to local sources, driver Selim Khan and Trinamool worker Saifuddin Khan were declared brought dead in a hospital, while the other injured person succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

Upon receiving the news, Superintendent of Police (SP), Baruipur Police District, Ajay Prasad, rushed to the spot along with other senior police officials.

Prasad said: "we are trying to nab the culprits as soon as possible."

District Trinamool president Subhasish Chakraborty alleged that the attack was planned by an Opposition party.