West Bengal: BJP MP & MLA assaulted during flood tour

JALPAIGURI/SILIGURI: A group of around 50 villagers assaulted BJP MP from Malda North, Khagen Murmu , and BJP MLA from Siliguri, Sankar Ghosh , and ransacked their cars on Monday at Bamandanga in Jalpaiguri's Nagrakata, where the legislators had gone to inspect flood-hit areas.

The attack left Murmu bleeding profusely from the nose. He also suffered major face and head injuries. Some journalists were also injured.

PM Narendra Modi, leading the collective outrage of BJP over the attack, said it "highlighted the insensitivity of TMC as well as the absolutely pathetic law and order situation in the state". He said he wished the Bengal govt and TMC were more focused on helping people rather than indulging in violence in such a challenging situation.

But TMC politicians said the villagers attacked the BJP lawmakers as they were angry that they seemed interested only in a photo-op.

CM Mamata Banerjee appealed for calm and urged people not to get provoked, stressing that "untoward incidents are undesirable at this time". She asked DGP Rajeev Kumar to intervene immediately.

Sources said as soon as Murmu and Ghosh got off their vehicles, they were surrounded by villagers who pelted them with stones, beat them with bamboo sticks, and ransacked their vehicles.

CAPF jawans accompanying the two managed to drag them into their vehicles that then sped away. In a video message from the convoy, MLA Ghosh said, "This was how we were attacked. Not a single windowpane of our car is intact... Our MP is seriously injured. Total anarchy is prevailing in West Bengal."