Principal alleges assault by councillor, withdraws FIR later

The acting principal of a college here today lodged an FIR with the police alleging that he was assaulted by a Trinamool Congress councillor but later sought to withdraw the complaint saying the issue has been resolved between them.
The alleged assault prompted the TMC leadership to expel the councillor from the party, though the accused denied that he assaulted the acting principal.
Police said Tarakeshwar Mondal, acting principal of Burdwan Raj College, had lodged an FIR with Burdwan police station alleging that Basir Ahmed alias Badshah, the councillor of ward no 27 of Burdwan Municipality, assaulted him at a picnic organised by another Trinamool Congress councillor.

In the FIR, Mondal said Badshah had allegedly slapped him in the face, rained blows on him, pinned him to the ground, kicked him and threatened him with a gun at the picnic, police said.
Mondal, who alleged that Badshah together with outsiders was trying to create unrest inside the college, was admitted to Burdwan Medical College and hospital.
The acting principal claimed that he was assaulted as he had protested against outside interference in the college.

Asked why he, being the acting principal of a college, had gone to the picnic organised by a political party, he said he is a Trinamool Congress supporter and can go there.

However, Mondal later wrote a letter to Burdwan police station seeking to withdraw the complaint against Badshah,
As the issue has been resolved between the two, he wanted to withdraw the complaint, the acting principal said in the letter, according to a police officer.
Mondal could not be contacted to know why he wants to withdraw the complaint against the Trinamool leader.
Badshah, who has since been absconding, has denied assaulting the principal although he admitted that there was a face-off, the police officer said.
Meanwhile, Minister of Youth Services and Housing, Arup Biswas, who is also the TMC observer for Burdwan district, announced that Badshah has been expelled from the party.

Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, the students' wing of the TMC, today gheraoed the Burdwan police station protesting against the attack on the principal.