Kolkata: Four persons have been arrested in connection with the attack on the convoy of Trinamool Congress’ national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee, allegedly by a group of protesters from the Kurmi community who are agitating to press for their demand of Scheduled Tribe status.
The police are yet to disclose the identity of those arrested.
The offenders have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including Section 307 (attempt to murder).
Charges had been framed under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984, since during the attack Friday evening, the rear glass of the vehicle of West Bengal Minister Birbaha Hansda was completely smashed.
Meanwhile, Abhishek Banerjee has claimed that during the attack on his convoy, he heard the slogan of “Jai Shree Ram”. “I demand a statement from the Kurmi Community leaders in the matter within the next 48 hours. Otherwise I will consider that they were involved in the attack,” he said.
The attack occurred when his convoy was passing through the Salboni area in tribal-dominated West Midnapore district. Soon after the attack, Abhishek Banerjee talked to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee detailing the incident.
The chief minister immediately directed state chief secretary HK Dwivedi and the state Director General of Police to take strong action in the matter.
Meanwhile, Hansda alleged that the opposition parties like the BJP and the CPI(M) had been instigating the Kurmi protesters.
“Trinamool Congress had never opposed the Kurmi community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status. Then why our convoy was attacked? This cannot be the nature of any caste movement,” Hansda said.
Banerjee is supposed to address a political rally in Salboni area Saturday.
IANS
