12-hour 'Bandh' in Siliguri after alleged attack on BJP workers by TMC members

SILIGURI: BJP workers in Siliguri's Matigara area called for a 12-hour protest on Monday following an alleged attack by Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers. The incident occurred on Sunday, when BJP workers claimed that TMC members attacked them in Darjeeling for supporting the party.

The protesters also blocked NH-31 for hours and burned tyres in front of Matigara police station today.

BJP workers staged a protest outside Matigara Police Station, alleging an attack by TMC workers, in Darjeeling on Sunday.

Nand Kishore Thakur, a BJP worker who experienced the abuse, described the incident. According to Thakur, after voting on April 26, he and other BJP workers peacefully returned home. However, later, they were verbally abused by TMC workers for their support of the BJP and were attacked yesterday evening.

"After the voting concluded (on April 26), we peacefully went to our homes. They (TMC) came and started abusing that I support the BJP. We informed the village chief and former village chief but no action was taken. Yesterday, 25-30 people came to our home and attacked us, and seven people got injured. They belonged to TMC, BJP worker Nand Kishore Thakur said on Sunday.

He further reported that they attempted to lodge a First Information Report (FIR) at the Matigara Police Station, but the police refused to register it.

Darjeeling, Raiganj, and Balurghat voted in the second phase of the Lok Sabha polis on April 26.

The two seats of Malda Uttar and Malda Dakshin will go to the polls in Phase 3 on May 7.

The voting in West Bengal for the Lok Sabha elections is being held in seven phases. The results for all 543 seats will be declared on June 4.

During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) won 22 seats, while the BJP won 18 seats. Congress emerged victorious in two seats.