Lawyers For Panchayat Poll Contestants Claim That They Were Attacked By Goons Despite Police Protection

Lawyers for a section of petitioners before the Calcutta High  Court on Thursday alleged that they were attacked by goons when they were going to file nomination papers for the ensuing panchayat elections in West Bengal under police escort in South 24 Parganas district.
     
Justice Rajasekhar Mantha earlier in the day passed the order on a set of petitions by prospective candidates from South and North 24 Parganas districts claiming that they were being prevented from filing nominations by miscreants allegedly owing allegiance to the ruling party in the state.
     
The court directed the petitioners to assemble at various police stations like Kashipur, Bhangar, and Basirhat, from where the police would arrange for their security and travel to the nomination centres for filing their papers.
     
Firdous Shamim, the lawyer for some petitioners, later in the day alleged before the court of Justice Mantha that they were attacked by goondas with guns and other weapons at the Shonepur market area of Bhangar in South 24 Parganas.
     
It was alleged that the attack took place despite travelling with a police escort and that in the process some of the prospective candidates were injured.
      
Shamim said that Justice Mantha has agreed to hear the grievances in this regard on Friday.