Kolkata:
The Election Commission (EC) has directed the West Bengal Director General of Police, or the DGP, to arrest all those involved in yesterday's attack on officials engaged in poll duty at Malda. Apart from those named in the First Information Report (FIR), the EC has also ordered the arrest of the organiser of the motor bike rally during which the incident occurred. A compliance report has also been sought by 5 pm today.
A total of seven people have been arrested. Three people were arrested on the basis of video evidence, even though their names were not mentioned in the FIR. One of the names in the FIR is that of Soumyadeep Sarkar, son-in-law of West Bengal Women and Child Welfare Minister Sabitri Mitra. It has been alleged that the state minister, along with the party's south Malda candidate Mouzzen Hossen, were present when the assault on the EC officials took place. (
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The incident took place around noon yesterday during a motorcycle rally organised by Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress in support of Hossen at Manikchak in Malda district. Three EC officials who were travelling in a vehicle in the same area stopped the bikers and asked them if they had permission for the rally in which around 200 bikers were participating. An argument ensued and the officials were pushed around and slapped by the party activists. (
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This is the second standoff involving the Trinamool Congress and the Election Commission within the span of a couple of days. On Monday, chief minister Mamata Banerjee had dared the Commission to transfer eight officials to facilitate free and fair polls. The confrontation ended only after the state government agreed to replace them. (
Furious Mamata dares Election Commission to transfer officials in Bengal)