Edited by Deepali Verma
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) gave chilling details about the attack on its officials allegedly by supporters of a Trinamool Congress leader. The agency said the mob comprised 800 to 1,000 people and the attack was carried with an “intention to cause death”.
The agency report revealed that three of its officials were severely injured and that people in the mob robbed the personnel of their belongings, including mobile phones, wallets and laptops.
The attack took place in Sandeshkhali in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district on January 5. An Enforcement Directorate team – accompanied by the personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) – carried out searches at three premises belonging to Trinamool leader Sahajahan Sheikh in connection with the alleged Public Distribution Scam.
Despite the Trinamool Congress calling the incident “a BJP conspiracy” and claiming “unruly elements attached with the central agencies provoked locals”, the BJP has continued to voice the ruling party’s government in the state as “a threat to national security.”
The Enforcement Directorate statement on X called Sheikh a convenor of the Trinamool Congress and read, “One of the premises, the Enforcement Directorate team with CRPF personnel saw an attack by 800-1000 people with an intention to cause death as these people were carrying weapons such as lathis, stones & bricks.”
“The incident led to three ED officials being grievously injured. They are being admitted to hospital for treatment. Violent mob additionally snatched/robbed/stole personal/official belongings of ED officials including their mobile phones, laptop, cash, wallets, etc. and badly damaged some of the ED vehicles,” the statement said.
The agency said that Sheikh refused to unlock the door and while the team was trying to get it open, the mob gathered in less than half an hour. Further, it alleged that stones were thrown at the personnel.
“Other officers were forced to escape from the place of the incident without conducting a search to save their lives as the mob became extremely violent. The mob even chased the officials so as to deter the officials from performing their search,” it added.
The Trinamool Congress termed the incident as BJP’s “diabolical move to deflect attention from its own crimes by triggering law and disorder issues”.
The Trinamool Congress leader Shashi Panja, claimed this a BJP conspiracy, and said, “We heard that the locals of the area were provoked and as a result, they retaliated. We have always repeated that we do not support any violence. We have no issues with investigations but some people are deliberately trying to cause a ‘law and disorder’. They are deliberately trying to come up with a situation to defame Bengal.”
Keeping the aim at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the opposition in West Bengal, posted on X, “Owing to Mamata Banerjee’s assurance and encouragement, criminals such as Sheikh Shahjahan have encouraged Rohingya to work as his henchmen and establish a reign of terror.”
Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose also condemned the attack and said, “It is a ghastly incident that is both alarming and deplorable. It is the duty of a civilised government to stop such barbarism and vandalism in a democracy. If a government fails in its basic duty, then the Constitution of India will take its course.”
