Cong alleges attack on Khan Chowdhury, police deny it

Congress today alleged that bombs were hurled and gunshots fired at a panchayat poll rally here in which Union minister A H Khan Chowdhury was participating but police denied he was attacked.
The party said the attack was allegedly carried out by Trinamool Congress workers at the rally held in support of Congress' zilla parishad candidate at Jadupur area.
Khan Chowdhury, the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, later told a TV news channel, "We asked people to vote freely without fear. Bombs were bursting and guns were being fired."
IGP (Law and Order) Anuj Sharma, however, said in Kolkata that the police escort had reported to the district police that the convoy was not attacked.

"A sound was heard from the distance when the union minister was en route to the rally at Jadupur village under Kaliachak police station," he said.
Asked about the sound, Sharma said that an inquiry was being done and the district superintendent of police was at the spot.

District Magistrate G Kiran Kumar said that miscreants burst fire-crackers near the site of the rally which was scheduled to be addressed by Khan Chowdhury.
None was injured, he said.
Party sources said that Khan Chowdhury was whisked away by his security personnel and a complaint was later filed with the police at Kaliachak police station.

At Jadupur, 26 gram panchayat and panchayat samity seats have been won unopposed by the Trinamool Congress.
Trinamool Congress leader and state Tourist Minister Krishnendu Naryanan Chowdhury dubbed the incident as baseless and said that he would resign from his ministry if the allegations were proved true.
"There was no attack on him and neither was there any firing or bombs thrown targeting him. I will resign my ministry if the allegation is proved true, otherwise he must resign," Narayan Chowdhury said.
Another minister, Sabitri Mitra, from Malda district also claimed that the allegations were baseless.