Kolkata, Aug 23 (IANS) A day after former Trinamool Congress MLA Arabul Islam’s car was attacked in South 24 Parganas district’s Bhangar, a local party office of Indian Secular Front (ISF), which was accused of orchestrating the attack, was set on fire on Sunday.
Tension erupted in the Shaksar area of Bhangar following the incident in the early hours. The ISF alleged that the Trinamool Congress was behind the attack on its party office, and its workers and supporters blocked the road.
Traffic movement in the area was disrupted due to the blockade.
As tension grew, officers from Bhangar police station rushed to the scene to control the situation. The police are investigating the case to find out who was involved in the fire incident at the ISF party office.
“We have received a complaint regarding a party office being set on fire. A police team has reached the spot. Investigation is on,” said a senior officer of Kolkata Police. Although Bhangar falls in South 24 Parganas district, the area comes under the jurisdiction of Kolkata Police.
Amid the high tension, it was also reported that a local BJP party office is scheduled to be inaugurated in that area later in the day.
It may be noted that former Indian Secular Front (ISF) leader and ex-Trinamool Congress MLA Arabul Islam’s car was attacked in Bhangar on Saturday night.
The attack took place a day after Islam quit the ISF and hinted at going back to his former party, Trinamool Congress.
It is alleged that bricks and crude bombs were hurled at his car in Uriapara in the Polerhat police station area in Bhangar on Saturday night as he was on his way home from the hospital.
He blamed ISF MLA Nawshad Siddiqui and his party for the incident. Islam claimed that bricks and two bombs were hurled at his car. Neither bomb hit the car, and they exploded on the road. However, the glass of the car was broken in the brick attack, and Islam narrowly escaped being hit.
It was reported that there were a few others in the car besides Islam. Realising the gravity of the situation, the driver quickly sped away from the scene. As a result, a danger was averted. It was also initially reported that neither Islam nor anyone else with him was physically injured. The incident spread panic in the area.
Islam alleged that some ISF workers took advantage of the darkness to attack his car. He also alleged that he has been targeted since he left the party.
An investigation was launched based on his complaint. Upon receiving the information, the Polerhat police station quickly reached Uriapara. Investigators visited the area where the attack was alleged to have taken place. Police sources said CCTV footage in the area was being examined to identify the attackers.
Police said they were investigating who was behind the attack and why the attack was carried out. So far, no one has been detained or arrested in the incident.
A day ago, Islam announced his departure from the ISF. In a social media post, he accused the party leadership of dictatorial behaviour. At the same time, he announced that he would resign from the party position and primary membership of the ISF. He also accused some ISF workers in Bhangar of atrocities on ordinary people, and said that he decided to leave the party in protest of those actions.
“I haven’t been out since morning. I left in the evening. At night, I crossed the cemetery in Uriapara and the car was attacked there. The attack was quite intense. The car was moving at a good speed. If it had slowed down a bit, the driver would have been hurt, and so would I. Bricks were thrown, and bombs were hurled at the car. I left the ISF, and that’s why they carried out the attack,” Arabul Islam told media persons on Sunday morning.
Before the Assembly elections, Islam left Trinamool and joined ISF. He was one of the well-known Trinamool leaders in Bhangar and had considerable influence in local politics. He also served as an MLA, and later, due to internal conflict within the party and disagreements with the local leadership, he distanced himself from Trinamool. Then he joined the ISF led by its MLA Nawshad Siddiqui.
In the Assembly elections, the ISF had fielded him from the Canning Paschim constituency. However, he lost the election. After the election, his distance from the ISF leadership started increasing, and he was not active in party programmes. Finally, he announced his departure from the party, raising several allegations against the leadership.
–IANS
sch/dpb