Trinamool leader, partymen held for assaulting IT employees

A municipal councillor of the ruling Trinamool Congress along with three partymen were Thursday arrested and sent to custody for allegedly assaulting some IT professionals in West Bengal's Burdwan district, police said.

According to the police complaint filed by Ritesh Trivedi, director of the Webel IT Park in Durgapur, he and his employees were bursting crackers outside the office premises Wednesday night when Durgapur Municipal councillor Hira Bauri and his men assaulted them.

"Barui along with three others were arrested in pursuance of the complaint and a court remanded them to 14 days' judicial custody," said a police officer.

Trivedi in his complaint alleged that he and his employees were assaulted as they had denied giving money to Barui for a Kali Puja organised by the leader.

The incident was slammed by the BJP and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).

"The incident is reflective of the Trinamool's extent of extortion. Goondaism is rampant under this regime which has been patronising criminals," said state BJP president Rahul Sinha.

CPI-M parliamentarian Mohammad Salim said the incident will have an adverse effect on the industrial scenario in the state.