HAROA: Two persons, including a 62-year-old woman, were gunned down and eight others seriously injured after a group of miscreants opened indiscriminate fire on a Trinamool Congress rally at Haroa in North 24 Parganas on Wednesday.
“We have already arrested 18 people in this connection and recovered three firearms. Preliminarily, we suspect the shooting occurred during a clash between two groups on a local issue,” Basirhat police superintendent Jobby Thomas told TOI.
The victims were identified as Laxmibala Mondal (62) and Sannyasi Sardar (28), both of whom were declared brought dead at Haroa State General Hospital.
All injured who suffered severe bullet injuries were admitted to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The condition of four is said to be critical.
According to local sources, the incident took place around 4.30pm when the Trinamool supporters were returning home after attending a virtual rally on the party’s Martyrs’ Day, organised by Trinamool’s Mohanpur ‘anchal’ president Tapan Roy at Tangramari ground in Haroa’s Mohanpur.
“While we were passing by the house of Mohanpur Trinamool booth president Jaggeswar Pramanik, armed miscreants hidden in an abandoned room opened fire, at least 10-12 rounds. We scattered in panic and ran for cover. Several of us were hit by bullets while two died on the spot,” said Sabir Ali Mondal, a local Trinamool supporter.
Sources said two Trinamool groups, one led by Roy and the other by Pramanik, used to engage in bitter battles over several issues. Trinamool’s Minakhan leader Mrittunjoy Mondal, however, said: “There is no factional feud within Trinamool. Shots were fired by some criminals over an old rivalry. Police are looking into the matter.”
A large police contingent, including RAF and Combat Force, led by senior district police officers has rushed to the spot.
