Kolkata, March 27 (IANS) Saikat Chatterjee, a polling officer in poll-bound West Bengal and a teacher at a state-run school, was allegedly thrashed by some individuals after he protested against the playing of a purported Trinamool Congress campaign video during an electoral training programme at Ranaghat in Nadia district on Friday afternoon.
The incident took place at Ranaghat Debnath Institute for Boys School, where a training programme for polling personnel was being conducted.
After the incident, Chatterjee, with injury marks and bloodstains on his face, told media persons that during the training session, certain videos featuring West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and visuals of the Jagannath Temple at Digha in East Midnapore district were displayed on the screen.
“I objected on the grounds that this was a blatant violation of the Model Code of Conduct. However, a young man present there reacted rudely. When I asked for his identity proof, the man and his associates started beating me severely. Later, I learnt that all of them were attached to the local block development office, which was present at the spot while I was being thrashed,” Chatterjee told media persons.
While admitting that an altercation took place, the local Block Development Officer (BDO), Sayntan Basu, denied the allegations of Chatterjee being thrashed. “He argued with some of our staff. But the matter was sorted out, and the training programme resumed. Probably the trouble resurfaced. The argument was with our staff,” Basu said.
Polling personnel staged a protest outside the training centre following the incident and questioned how a polling officer could be attacked in such a manner. Police later arrived at the spot and brought the situation under control.
BJP Lok Sabha member from Ranaghat constituency, Jagannath Sarkar, attacked the Trinamool Congress over the incident. “The Trinamool Congress has created an atmosphere of terror throughout the state. Administrative and police officers are working as Trinamool Congress agents. This incident has proven it once again,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has taken the matter seriously and sought an immediate report from the state Director General of Police, the District Magistrate, the Superintendent of Police, and the Sub-Divisional Officer concerned.
“Action may be taken against the inspector-in-charge of the concerned police station. In addition to filing an FIR, orders have also been given to immediately arrest those involved in the incident,” said a source from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal.
So far, there has been no reaction from the Trinamool Congress on the matter.
–IANS
src/pgh