KOLKATA, April 20:Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee was chased, abused, manhandled and her convoy attacked allegedly by a group of CPI(M) activists in Nandigram on Sunday.

An angry Mamata rushed to the Nandigram police station and lodged an FIR against officer-in-charge (OC) Debashish Chakraborty for instigating the CPI(M) activists to attack her convoy. In her complaint, Mamata mentioned that the OC was not performing his duty and was seen busy capturing the attack in a video camera.

Following the incident, tension gripped parts of Nandigram and Kolkata as a large number of Trinamool Congress activists put up roadblocks at several places and demanded immediate action against the CPI(M) supporters.

The incident took place at around 3.30 pm when Mamata along with her supporters was on her way to Bijolipara to meet family members of 45-year-old victim who was allegedly gangraped by a group of CPI(M) activists on Friday night. S Panda, SP East Midnapore, told The Indian Express: “Sufficient police cover was provided. Two officers of ASP and SDPO rank were escorting her. But somehow the matter got out of hand. Later, I heard that she had lodged a complaint against some police officers. We’ll definitely be probing that allegation. She has informed us that she’ll be visiting the victim’s family again on April 23.”

On her part, Mamata said, “The CPM cadres attacked in a pre-planned manner while the police stood by as mute spectators. The OC was seen capturing the entire incident on video, while other officers told me they were unable to provide me security and asked me to turn back.”

“The mob, mainly composed of armed women, attacked our convoy. They were led by local CPM leaders but the women were from Khejuri. Some of our supporters have been injured as they were rained with bricks and lathi blows. The CPM obviously is terrorising voters before Panchayat polls get underway,” said Shishir Adhikary, district TMC leader who was escorting Mamata.

More than 100 alleged CPI(M) activists, majority of them women armed with bamboo sticks, blocked Mamata’s convoy and started assaulting her supporters. They also hurled bricks aiming at Mamata’s car and abused her in front of the Nandigram OC, sources said.

Keeping in mind the continuous tension for the past three days in Nandigram, additional forces were deployed at several areas in the village to bring the law and order situation under control. In Kolkata, painter Suvaprasanna and actor Aparna Sen visited SSKM College and Hospital and met the Nandigram rape victim.

Trinamool workers blocked major crossings in Kolkata, including Girish Park, Rashbihari and Khalighat, to protest against the incident.

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