BJP candidate Dipak Halder hospitalised, supporters allege attack by TMC

BJP candidate in the Diamond Harbour constituency, Dipak Kumar Halder, was on Friday admitted to hospital after he was attacked with sticks and rods allegedly by TMC supporters.

Halder, who was the sitting Trinamool Congress MLA from this constituency till he switched parties a few months ago, was admitted to a government-run superspeciality hospital along with ten of his workers.

Doctors at the hospital refused to comment on the nature of their injuries, but news agency PTI quoted the police as saying he was allegedly thrashed with sticks.


"He complained of chest pain and other problems. He is being attended by the doctors," a senior police officer was quoted as saying. His supporters said he "received serious injuries".

Halder, along with his party workers, had gone to Haridebpur to campaign, when he was allegedly attacked with bamboo sticks, rods and firearms by "TMC miscreants", BJP's Bengal unit claimed.

Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, “TMC is never involved in such attacks. It is a feud between the new turncoat and original BJP workers.”

The attack happened on the day the TMC MP from Diamond Harbour, Abhisek Banerjee, was participating in a roadshow in Kultali and Diamond Harbour constituency.

Halder recently joined the BJP saying he was not allowed to work freely in the TMC . Diamond Harbour constituency goes to polls on April 6.

Following the attack, BJP supporters protested on the National Highway 117, and were later removed by the police.