West Bengal police arrests 16 people over attack on BJP state chief Dilip Ghosh; neta hurt

A day after an attack on the WB BJP Chief Dilip Ghosh, at least 16 people have been arrested by the West Bengal police on Thursday. Ghosh's convoy was attacked while he was visiting Cooch Behar in North Bengal, on Wednesday. Ghosh had alleged that his convoy was attacked with bricks, stones, and bombs during which he also sustained injuries on his left arm.

While Speaking to Republic, the Bengal BJP President had said, "Since morning people were being threatened in the area. As soon as I finished my meeting at around 5 pm, we were threatened and our security was also threatened. All of a sudden, bombs were hurled at us in the open area. My car's front window was broken, I was sitting on the left side in the front, which is also shattered. The stone came and hit my left side."

Political Violence In Bengal

As the Assembly polls are underway in West Bengal, the increasing instances of political violence that have been reported time and again appear to show no signs of slowing down. BJP has alleged that it has lost nearly 130 of its workers over the last 2 years. BJP President JP Nadda had said, "Over 130 workers have been killed, there is a jungle raj here by TMC goons, and Bengal wants to get rid of this. This is their nature. This is their style of working. Bengal now wants to re-establish the culture of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Rabindranath Tagore, and Syama Prasad Mukherjee." 

BJP National president JP Nadda's convoy in December was also attacked while he was on his way to Diamond Harbour.  On April 2, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikary's convoy was also attacked. On the other hand, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee is still in a wheelchair on account of injuries sustained after filing her nomination from Nandigram, in which the claim that she was attacked has been dismissed.

West Bengal Assembly Polls 

The first phase concluded with a voter turnout of 82 percent, the second phase concluded with a voter turnout of 80.43 percent, and, the third phase concluded with a voter turnout of 83.93 percent. Bengal's other phases of elections are scheduled on April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26, and April 29 with results to be announced on May 2. 

Image: PTI