Kolkata, 25 May

Senior BJP leader and its Jhargram candidate Pranat Tudu on Saturday claimed his convoy was attacked in Garbeta area of West Midnapore district, following which security personnel escorting him were injured and had to be hospitalised.

The incident took place when Tudu was on his way to Garbeta in the wake of complaints that BJP agents were not allowed inside some polling booths. “All of a sudden, TMC goons who had blocked the roads started hurling bricks at my car. When my security personnel tried to intervene, they were injured. Two CISF jawans accompanying me received head injuries and had to be hospitalised,” Tudu said.

A large police contingent was rushed to the area to control the situation. The local TMC leadership denied the allegations and accused Tudu of trying to “vitiate the peaceful polling process”. “The BJP nominee was threatening voters. The villagers got enraged and staged a protest,” a local TMC leader said.

Vehicles belonging to various media houses were reportedly vandalised by the mob as well.