BJP councillor’s home attacked after poll win

MALDA: After CPM councillor Dolon Chaki, a BJP councillor now felt the heat of defeating a Trinamool Congress heavyweight in the Malda civic polls.
Hundreds of Trinamool supporters attacked the house of newly-elected BJP councillor Sanjoy Sharma on Thursday. To make things worse, local Trinamool leaders lodged a complaint against Sanjoy’s two brothers with the charge of attempt to murder. English Bazaar police arrested Sanjoy’s brothers Shibkumar and Amarnath, both lawyers, following the complaint.
Sanjoy defeated two-time Trinamool councillor Pratibha Sinha, a confidante of state minister Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury in ward 9. It was a huge shock for Choudhury, Sinha and their followers.
Sanjoy said, “Trinamool goons targeted me and my family members ever since the poll results were out on April 28. They gathered in front of our house, threw stones and used filthy language.”
On Thursday, a procession of Trinamool Congress workers who were opposing the strike was passing by the house of Sharma. Suddenly, the workers raised allegations that stones were being pelted at them from Sharma’s house.
Sinha alleged, “It was a ploy to murder me as huge stones were hurled at us from the roof of Sharma’s house.”
Sanjoy said, “I was away in Malda town when my scared family members called me to inform that they were mobbed. Stones were thrown at my house at will. I called up English Bazaar police station. But they refused to intervene. To my shock, police later arrested my brothers and two law clerks present in my office.”
Sanjoy added, “I went to English Bazaar police station to enquire about the complaint, on the basis of which my brothers were arrested. But police failed to produce it. Only around 4pm, a diary was lodged against us with the charge of attempt to murder under Section 307 of IPC. But my brothers were picked up from home around 10.30am. I wonder how the police arrested four persons without even lodging any complaint!”
“Though Trinamool has marginally secured the majority (15 out of 29 seats) in the civic body, Choudhury does not know how to form the board as there is dissent within his party. I will move court seeking security,” Sharma said.
Choudhury refuted the the allegations. “Police are taking action according to the complaints received by them. I have nothing to do with it,” he said.
SP Prasun Banerjee confirmed that some BJP workers were arrested “for attacking Sinha”.