Dhantala, Oct. 8: BJP’s Ranaghat south MLA Mukutmani Adhikari was allegedly heckled and his car was vandalized by a group of suspected Trinamul supporters in Nadia’s Dattapulia on Friday evening while he was trying to pass through along the other side of the road that was crowded due to ongoing immersion procession of Durga images.
Security personnel of the MLA, who was also assaulted, rescued him with the support of some local residents and cleared his way. A police team also arrived at the spot fast and controlled the situation.
Adhikari, who is also BJP’s National Executive Council member and a prominent Matua leader, on Saturday lodged a complaint at the Dhantala police station against the unidentified suspected Trinamul supporters claiming that the incident was a well-hatched attempt to ‘kill’ him being a ‘BJP legislator”.
“I was going to attend a party programme on Friday afternoon. I found immersion processions on the road when reached Dattapulia More. Once I stopped to pave way for processions, a group of miscreants who are known Trinamul supporters in the area, identified my car and hurled a brick on the bonnet”, said Adhikari.
Speaking to The NfN, the BJP MLA further said, “My security personnel rushed out and tried to prevent them, but the miscreants began to beat them. So I had to come out of the car when one attacker tried to drag me away holding the collar of my shirt and another tried to throttle me. But, my security personnel and some local persons rescued me. But by the time the miscreants vandalized my car hitting it with bricks and stones”.
Local Trinamul leadership, however, rubbished the allegations. Trinamul leader and member of Duttapula gram panchayat Manojit Biswas said, “It was the MLA actually incited the people. We are trying to detain the cars on the way for some time so that the immersion procession could pass first and no traffic congestion occurred on the road. But, the MLA refused to cooperate with the volunteers disrespecting the emotion of the local people and his security staff began assaulting them. The MLA eventually tried to speed fast with his car from the spot angered the local people”.
“No one had heckled the MLA, rather he himself assaulted some local people and abused them. Later the MLA posted a video on social media in which he also literally threatened us of dire consequence”, Biswas alleged adding that a police complaint against the MLA has also been lodged at the Dhantala police station.
Trinamul Congress supporters condemning the behavior of the BJP MLA and that of his security staff blocked the Duttapulia-Ranaghat road later in the evening for about half an hour. The blockade, however, was withdrawn after police intervention.
BJP MLA Adhikari, however, remained firm on his allegations. “The local residents know well and witnessed what actually happened…Let the police conduct an honest inquiry to reveal the truth”, Adhikari said.
A police official of Ranaghat police district said, “We have received two complaints from either side. No case has so far been started. The matter being examined…”.