New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has claimed that “800-1000” people attacked its officials in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas with an intention of causing death.
The central agency released a statement saying that a mob with weapons such as lathis, stones and bricks attacked the ED officials, leaving three of them with grievous injuries and being hospitalised.
The attack took place when ED officials were searching three premises of Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sahajahan Sheikh in connection with the PDS scam.
Phones, laptops, cash and wallets of the officials were snatched, vehicles vandalised. Even journalists of TV channels were attacked.
“ED was conducting searches on the three premises of Sahajahan Sheikh, Convenor of TMC, North 24 Parganas in case of the PDS scam of West Bengal. During the searches on one of the premises, ED team with CRPF personnels was attacked by 800-1000 people with an intention to cause death as these people were carrying weapons such as lathis, stones & bricks. In this incident, 3 ED officials have been grievously injured. Injured ED officials are being admitted to hospital for treatment. Violent mob also snatched/robbed/stole personal/official belongings of ED officials such as their mobile phones, laptop, cash, wallets, etc. and badly damaged some of the ED vehicles,” the statement said.
ED officers had to abandon their damaged vehicles and take auto rickshaws and two-wheelers, reported PTI.
The BJP, on the other hand, demanded the resignation of Mamata Banerjee’s government as it’s a threat to national security.
“This is how lawless Bengal is. Continuance of the TMC government in West Bengal is a national security threat,” BJP leader Amit Malviya wrote on X.
“TMC goons launched a murderous attack on the ED officials who had gone there to carry out investigations. It is said that illegal infiltrators have done this. Police refused to speak to the ED officials when they called for help on being attacked by the TMC goons. Imagine how worrisome it is… Law and order in West Bengal has completely collapsed,” PTI quoted BJP spokesperson as saying.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has also demanded President’s rule in West Bengal.
Though TMC and Congress are partners in the Opposition INDIA bloc formed to fight the BJP in upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the two parties have been going hammer and tongs at each other in West Bengal.
The ruling TMC dismissed the Opposition’s charges and claimed that the villagers were provoked by ED officials and security officials.
