In what appears to be a case of turf war, CPI(M) and Trinamool Congress workers were today involved in a clash in West Bengal's Burdwan district in which several persons were injured, a police officer said.
Members of the CPI(M) Krishak Sabha staged protests all over Burdwan district today demanding minimum support price for paddy and employment avenues for the unemployed, the official said.
At Polempur, the members of the Krishak Sabha had strewn paddy on the road and staged protest. The demonstration was lifted when police intervened, the officer said.
As the group disbanded and was returning home, they were allegedly attacked by Trinamool Congress workers at Khalerpul area with bamboo sticks, rods and lathis, the officer said.
Sheikh Kauser, CPI(M) leader and former zonal secretary, was badly beaten up and admitted to Burdwan Medical College hospital while several other party activists also sustained injuries, Amal Haldar, district convenor of Left Front and ex-district secretary of CPI(M), claimed.
Burdwan district Superintendent of Police Kunal Agarwal said the situation in the area was under control.
Haldar said they would fight the situation politically while Sk. Kauser added that the Trinamool Congress was trying to create terror in the area.
Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress denied any hand in the attack and said the Krishak Sabha members attacked Trinamool activists damaging 20 bikes belonging to their workers.
TMC Mla Ujjal Pramanik said the CPI(M)'s allegation was not correct and the party was indulging in terror tactics to retrieve lost ground in Raina and Khandaghosh areas, erstwhile CPI(M) strongholds.
The Krishak Sabha members also blocked NH-2 at Shaktigarh for eight hours since morning. The blockade has since been lifted, the police officer said.
