Cong leaders assault BDO, ransack office

Statesman News Service

MALDA, 17 JULY: Taking advantage of lack of security, some Congress leaders and workers today assaulted the Harishchandrapur BDO, Mr Amiya Das in his office.

A Congress leader slapped Mr Das and others ransacked his office damaging the fax machine. Condemning the attack, West Bengal Civil Service officers in Malda district today lodged an FIR with the police against Congress workers including Mr Kayum Sheikh, karmadhakshya (shilpa) Harishchandrapur-I panchayat samiti, Mr Biman Basak , block Congress president and gram panchayat pradhan, Mr Bikash Banerjee, teacher of Pipla High School, and Mr Dronacharya Banerjee, another Congress leader.

Reacting sharply against the incident, the Malda district magistrate Mr Sridhar Ghosh has asked the Malda SP Mr Satyajit Bandyopadhyay to take immediate action against the offenders. The SDO Chanchal, Ms Debjani Datta, reported to the district magistrate that the victim BDO was severely injured in the attack.

The demoralised WBCS officers including two SDOs have decided to submit deputation to the Sabhadhipati of the Congress led Malda Zilla Parishad on the issue Monday.

It may be noted that a few days ago two WBCS officers’ organizations had submitted memorandums to the Malda DM demanding security of the BDOs when locals assaulted the Harishchandrapur II BDO, Mr Narbu Tshering Lepcha on the issue of anti-erosion work.

“If the administration does not take immediate action against the offenders such audacious acts would continue against administrative officials,” said the Chanchal SDO, Ms Debjani Datta. “ Such acts cannot be tolerated,” said the Malda SDO, Mr Prakash Pal.

The Malda district Congress President Mr Masidur Rahman said: “The Congress leaders involved in the assault incident were wrong.”