Mob goes on rampage at police station; TMC, CPI-M trade

A police officer was among three persons injured as a mob went on the rampage at a police station here with the incident seeing the ruling Trinamool Congress and opposition CPI(M) workers trade charges today.
According to police, a police vehicle was also damaged as a group of men went berserk at around midnight last night following a complaint against a person who was purportedly conducting a survey.
Police said that trouble began when a man who claimed to be conducting a survey turned up at the house of a CPI(M) supporter in Siliguri town after 9.30 P.M.
His suspicion raised by the timing of the visit by the surveyor, the CPI-M supporter lodged a complaint with New Jalpaiguri outpost police station in the matter. Thereafter, both were called to the police station.

However, a group of men then arrived at the police station demanding that the man conducting the survey be allowed to go. The group went on the rampage and injured the three persons, including an assistant sub-inspector, and damaged a police vehicle.
Siliguri Police Commissioner Manoj Verma said that an inquiry was on into the incident.

While CPI(M) accused Trinamool Congress of causing the disturbance at the police station, ruling party leader Bijon Nandi pointed fingers at the opposition party, slamming the incident as a conspiracy by the Left party.
Nandi said the man who had visited the CPI(M) supporter's house had actually gone there for a survey in connection with the MLALAD programme.

Meanwhile, Siliguri mayor Ashok Bhattacharya and CPI(M) workers today gheraoed the police station and sat on a dharna outside demanding immediate action against the mob last night.
Bhattacharya, a veteran CPI(M) leader and former Left Front minister, also threatened to hold a hunger strike in front of the police station if the demand was not met.
The gherao was lifted after Verma assured Bhattacharya that those involved in the incident would be arrested.