Hooghly, 15 July (H.S.): Tension erupted at the Gaurhati-II Gram Panchayat in West Bengal's Hooghly district on Wednesday after Trinamool Congress (TMC) Panchayat Pradhan Yadunath Singh and Deputy Pradhan Shivshankar Dutta were allegedly tied up and pelted with eggs by an angry crowd inside the panchayat office premises. Police later rescued both leaders from the mob.
According to local residents, the two leaders are facing allegations of assault, extortion, criminal intimidation and issuing rape threats. Locals claimed that both had largely remained out of public view following the recent change in the state's political landscape.
Residents gathered outside the panchayat office after learning that the two leaders had arrived there on Wednesday. As tensions escalated, Singh and Dutta reportedly attempted to leave the premises but were stopped by the crowd. They were allegedly tied up and subjected to what protesters described as egg therapy, with eggs thrown at them as a mark of public protest.
A team from Arambagh Police Station rushed to the spot after receiving information about the incident and rescued the two from the crowd. Police brought the situation under control and restored law and order in the area.
The incident comes just months after another controversy at the same panchayat office, where a large quantity of liquor bottles and packets of condoms were allegedly recovered, triggering widespread outrage in the locality.
Wednesday's incident has once again heightened political tensions in the area, while the police are monitoring the situation closely.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey
