4 Arrested Over Attack On Trinamool Leader's Convoy In West Bengal

Four people were arrested on Saturday in connection with the attack on senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee's convoy, in which state minister Birbaha Hansda's vehicle was vandalised, police said.

The accused were identified as Ajit Mahato, Anit Mahato, Manmohit Mahato and Anup Mahato, they said.

While Anup is a resident of Manikpara in Jhargram district, the other three are residents of Garh Salboni where the incident happened on Friday evening, they added.

Hansda's vehicle was vandalised as stones were allegedly thrown at Abhishek Banerjee's convoy when they were travelling to Gajimul near Lodhasuli after leading a roadshow in Jhargram town, police said.

Glass particles from the shattered windscreen of the car hit Hansda, and also injured her driver. Some cars and motorcycles that were following them were also vandalised in the stone-pelting.

The accused were arrested after hours of questioning. When produced at a court, they were sent to three days in police custody.

Police said the accused dressed as members of Kurmi outfits, tying yellow bands on their foreheads.

Members of the Kurmi community are protesting in the region for weeks, demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Alleging that the BJP was behind the attack, Banerjee gave a "48-hour ultimatum" to the Kurmi outfits, asking them to clarify if their members were associated with the violence.

Responding to it, Kurmi Samaj president Rajesh Mahato held a press conference and said certain persons were trying to tarnish the image of their peaceful protest.

"We do not support any kind of violence. We condemn this incident. Let there be a full investigation. Those who are conspiring to tarnish our peaceful movement, we strongly condemn them. No member of 'Ghaghar Ghera' is involved in the incident. Investigate the incident and punish the guilty," he said.

TMC's Jhargram district president Dulal Murmu told reporters that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has summoned top-rung leaders of the party to Medinipur. "An emergency meeting of the TMC district committee has also been called on Sunday." 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)