A BJP leader claimed on Wednesday that Trinamool Congress workers attacked his car in West Bengal's Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas district.
"This morning, I left my house to reach Arjun Singh's residence at around 8.15 am. Just three minutes after leaving the house, the road was blocked by a jetting machine. Around 50-60 people targeted my vehicle and hurled bombs. After that, 6-7 rounds of bullets were fired," he told PTI.
The attack came amid the BJP's 12-hour Bengal Bandh call to protest against the police's use of force during the former's 'Nabanna Abhijan' protest rally.
BJP leader Arjun Singh told ANI that seven bullets were fired at the car. He claimed the attack took place in the presence of a senior Bengal police officer.
Singh claimed it was an attempt on Pandey's life.
"Priyangu Pandey is our party leader. Today his car was attacked...and firing was done...The driver has been shot...7 round firing was done...This was done in the presence of the ACP...Planning was done to kill Priyangu Pandey...TMC is left with no issue therefore they are doing these kinds of things...Two people are injured, one among them is serious," he said.
Arjun Singh accused Trinamool leaders Tarun Sau and MLA Somnath Shyam of being behind the attack, alleging that the miscreants were brought in from Kakinara.
{{/usCountry}}Arjun Singh accused Trinamool leaders Tarun Sau and MLA Somnath Shyam of being behind the attack, alleging that the miscreants were brought in from Kakinara.
{{/usCountry}}The BJP has been protesting against the Trinamool government in the state over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.
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The West Bengal police have made massive security arrangements to prevent violence in the state.
Dendup Sherpa, additional superintendent of police (SP), Uttar Dinajpur, told ANI, "Police personnel are deployed everywhere to maintain Law and Order in the state."
The state administration has instructed drivers and conductors of government buses in Kolkata to wear helmets.
Many drivers of North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) buses wore helmets across the state.
"We are wearing helmets because of the bandh today...The department has given us the helmets," a driver told the news agency.
On Tuesday, clashes broke out in the streets in Kolkata, with security personnel throwing tear gas shells, unleashing water cannons and resorting to lathi-charge to disperse protestors on the Howrah Bridge.
The protesters had been marching towards the West Bengal State Secretariat Nabanna amid a row over the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the chaos.
"BJP's idea of a 'peaceful protest': Pelt stones and push barricades Severely injure the police Orchestrate extreme chaos and disrupt the law and order of the state. The 'Nabanna Abhiyan' conspired by the BJP is nothing short of a fatal attack on Bengal," the TMC posted on its official X handle.
The BJP called chief minister Mamata Banerjee a dictator.
With inputs from ANI