Senior Officials Visit Area Where Mamata Was "Attacked"

Senior district officials on Thursday morning visited the area in Nandigram where West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was allegedly attacked while campaigning for the upcoming assembly elections.

Purba Medinipur District Magistrate Vibhu Goel, Superintendent of Police Praween Prakash and other officers visited the Birulia Bazar area to inquire about the incident, officials said.

The officers spoke to eye-witnesses, besides looking for any CCTV installed in the area to ascertain the exact sequence of events, they said.

"We are talking to people who were present here during the incident. We have not got hold of any clear footage of that moment till now," the district magistrate said.

"Multiple people are giving multiple versions of the incident. We are trying to listen to those who were present at that moment, and then file our report to the Election Commission," he added.

The district administration may file a report to Election Commission by the second half of the day, sources said.

"We are also looking for anyone who has managed to record the incident on his or her mobile phone at that time," a senior police officer said.

Trinamool Congress and BJP supporters got engaged in a war of words over the attack on Banerjee as the officials were visiting the Birulia Bazar area.

The TMC supporters alleged that the "attack was a pre-planned conspiracy", while the BJP workers termed it a lie.

Banerjee alleged on Wednesday evening that she was attacked by four-five men who pushed her, besides banging on her the door of her car, injuring her left leg, waist, shoulder and neck as she fell on the ground.

Soon after the alleged incident, the Election Commission sought a report on the matter from Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay.

"This is a serious matter which needed to be investigated. We are constantly keeping a tab on the situation. We have sought a report from the state police and administration. The report must be sent quickly," a senior official at the CEO said.

A preliminary report was sent to the EC, New Delhi on Wednesday night, he said.

No official complaint was lodged by the chief minister till Thursday morning, sources said.

The chief minister at present is undergoing treatment at the city-based state-run SSKM hospital.