Even as more reports of assault on Election Commission officials by ruling Trinamool Congress henchmen filtered in, about 40 officers of the West Bengal Civil Services cadre on Tuesday met the District Magistrate of North 24 Parganas demanding security against rampaging political workers some of who had a few days ago allegedly assaulted and threatened a BDO with murder for removing posters of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from Habra Assembly constituency.
D Gayen, a BDO from Habra in North 24 Parganas, was reportedly threatened by a Trinamool mob allegedly led by a local MlA protesting the removal of the posters carrying Chief Minister’s pictures.
The incident that took place a week ago was reported by the police only on March 30 and arrests were made thereafter. Curiously those arrested on non-bailable charges were let out on bail even as the police did not demand their custody triggering a hue and cry among the Opposition parties who complained of administrative bias. The Commission had ordered a probe into the matter, the DM said.
Close on the heels of the Habra incident another Election Commission official was on Tuesday allegedly assaulted by Trinamool men at central Howrah when he tried to remove posters from near a school marked as a poll booth.
The official was reportedly manhandled and his staff was driven away by the accused workers and the police were rushed in to rescue the official sources said. No arrest had yet been made.
State Minister and local Trinamool MlA Arup Roy, who denounced ‘heckling’ of the official, however, said the “Commission people should not act in a biased manner.” The Chief Minister had also alleged at a public meeting on Monday that the Election Commission was not acting impartially.