Sensing the public outrage, the chief minister said he was not happy with the relief work there before cutting short his visit and hurrying back to Kolkata.

“I am not happy with the relief work going on here. The people are suffering and complaining. I assure you we will provide you with help,” the CM said at Bijoygarh Adarsha Bidyamandir, a school-turned-relief camp in Bally Gram Panchayat (GP) under Gosaba block.

Out of 14 GPs in Gosaba block, nine are badly hit and nearly 60,000 families are affected. Worst-hit areas include Amtakli Kumirmari, Chotomollahkhali, Lahiripur, Satjelia, Bally I & II, Kochuakhali, Gosaba, Rangabelia. Though the official death toll is three, locals put it at 20. One person is missing, officials said.

While the chief minister seemed at wits’ end, his officials were booed. Gosaba BDO Amiya Bhushan Chakrabarty was even assaulted by an irate mob. Bhattacharjee himself rebuked the local officials and left Gosaba a little ahead of schedule along with Minister for Sunderbans Development Kanti Ganguly and Irrigation Minister Subhas Naskar.

Earlier in the day, the CM faced an angry mob at the BDO office in Basanti where he had to step down from his car to placate the locals. “I understand your pain. I have sent relief already. I will send more,” he told them.

Bhattacharjee arrived at the Basanti BDO’s office around noon and met district officials there. Later, he took a motor boat and toured various areas of Gosaba.

His last stop was at Adarsha Bidyamandir, the make-shift shelter for 300 villagers. The CM enquired if they have food and water. “How are your children? Are they suffering from diarrhoea? Are you getting drinking water?” he asked.

Ramchandra Deb Dului, a villager said, “We get chire once a day. Nothing else. Drinking water is scarce. No one is taking care of us. Cattle are lying dead in the villages. Our children are falling sick.”

The CM also held an ad hoc meeting with the DM, BDO Amiyabhushan Chakraborty, BARDO Abhijit Roychoudhury and around 100 villagers. He enquired about the number of relief camps that have been set up, the number of affected families and other details. “What will you require for the next seven days? Tell me now. I will provide it immediately. There is no shortage of relief material,” he said.

When the BDO allegedly pointed out that the block was partially affected, angry villagers began shouting and wanted to attack the BDO. Reacting to the statistics of relief work provided by the BARDO on the disposal of dead livestock, people resorted to angry protests again saying more cattle were lying dead and no work had been done.

Sensing public outrage, security officers escorted the CM out. Ganguly was roundly abused and some people tried to chase him but he was rescued by security. As the CM was approaching the motor boat, angry villagers got hold of Chakraborty, who was at the rear of the group following the CM, and began thrashing him. The BDO, who suffered injuries, was rescued by the police.

After the CM boarded the motor boat, the BDO said, “I didn’t say it was partially affected. We are doing our best in providing relief.” Given the situation, the CM cancelled plans of visiting embankments and left for Kolkata in a hurry.