Post-poll trouble: Opposition under attack in south Kolkata

KOLKATA: After announcement of the KMC election results, clashes continued on Wednesday with two incidents reported from south and south suburban Kolkata. Ruling Trinamool Congress has been accused of orchestrating violence.
While the first incident was reported in the late hours of Tuesday from Chetla Road in south Kolkata, trouble broke out in Shahid Smriti Colony area near Panchasayer.Panchasayer has witnessed repeated clashes between Trinamool Congress and BJP in the run-up to the polls.
According to BJP leaders, around 20-25 Trinamool-backed goons attacked their party office. “Four of our supporters were in the office. Some inebriated men burst in and began beating up our supporters and destroying furniture. Two of our supporters were injured, one of them is still in hospital,” claimed BJP office bearer Gautam Chowdhury.
New Alipore police said they are investigating BJP’s claim and said there was prima facie evidence of an attack. BJP alleged it was ward 81 candidate Jui Biswas’s husband Swarup, south Kolkata youth Trinamool president, whose men attacked the BJP men. Trinamool, however, denied involvement in it.
In the other incident, CPM alleged that the same group from Bhangar that had allegedly captured booths at Shahid Smriti Colony returned on Tuesday to try to occupy the local CPM office.
Trinamool had earlier forcefully shut the office, CPM leader Kanti Ganguly alleged. On Wednesday, though, the toughs ensured that even journalists had no access to the area. The local police did not respond to calls from the CPM leadership, party officials alleged.