Kolkata, Jan 26 (IANS) A mob of 700 to 800 Trinamool Congress supporters Tuesday attacked a police station in South 24-Parganas, beat up several personnel and freed a party activist who was arrested for his alleged involvement in anti-social activities, police said.
The incident occurred in West Bengal’s Sunderban coastal police station when Republic Day celebrations were being held inside the police station campus.

“Soumen Patra is a noted criminal in the area. We have three cases against him. We arrested him last night. But today (Tuesday) morning 700-800 Trinamool supporters attacked our police station and beat up several of our officers,” said an officer of the police station

“They broke open the locks of the police lock-up, freed Patra and took him away with them.”

The attackers were shouting slogans like ‘Trinamool Congress Zindabad’, said the officer, who was also injured in the attack.

Trinamool Congress, however, denied that the men had attacked the police station and accused the state’s ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) of maligning their party.

Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee alleged that the police had Monday night ransacked a village on the ruse of conducting security checks and took away ‘innocent’ villagers.

“The villagers went to the police station and freed the prisoners. The villagers can include Trinamool, CPI-M and Congress supporters. The innocent villagers freed fellow villagers,” Banerjee said.

On the other hand, the CPI-M was quick to launch a scathing attack on the Trinamool.

“Trinamool Congress supporters are creating trouble all over the state. The coastal police Station is in a highly sensitive area. And the Trinamool supporters not only attacked and ran away with the convict, but also injured police officials. Those who attacked the police station were shouting slogans ‘Trinamool Congress Zindabad’,” said CPI-M leader and former MP Sujan Chakraborty.