Bengal: 2 arrested after mob led by Trinamool MLA vandalises BDO office

Kolkata, Jan 14 (LatestNewsX) Two persons were arrested on Wednesday after an irate mob, led by Trinamool Congress MLA from Farakka, Monirul Islam, vandalised the Farakka Block Development Office (BDO) in Murshidabad district and ransacked the chamber of the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO).

The vandalism by ruling party workers resulted in the suspension of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearing of the voter list, which was underway at the BDO office.

Following the incident, the BDO, Farakka filed a complaint at Farakka police station, based on which an FIR was registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property (PDPP) Act, 1984. Two persons were arrested for their alleged involvement in the vandalism.

Earlier in the day, violence broke out at the Farakka BDO office after protesters, led by the TMC MLA, went on a rampage and ransacked the premises, alleging harassment of common people in the name of SIR hearing.

Slogans were raised against the Election Commission. The mob also caused inconvenience to the SIR hearing process, which was later stopped due to the violence.

Trinamool MLA Monirul Islam said people were unnecessarily being harassed for the simplest of errors in their voter information. He alleged bias in the SIR process, claiming that document verification was being selectively demanded from members of the minority community.

“There are no TMC flags here. This is a spontaneous protest by the people who are greatly inconvenienced by the hearing process. I am protesting against the vindictive attitude of the Election Commission. I am prepared to face police action if needed,” Islam said.

Following the development, BJP MLA from Murshidabad Gouri Shankar Ghosh said: “This is the real face of Trinamool Congress. It is only them who are finding flaws in the SIR process. Look at their audacity. They vandalised the BDO office. We want strong action against those who were responsible for today’s incident.”

sch/pgh