2 BJP leaders attacked in separate places of poll-bound Bengal

Gunmen fired at the car of the BJPs state committee member Krishnendu Mukherjee near his house at Asansol in Paschim Barddhaman district, but he was saved as the assailants failed to open the doors of his vehicle.A local leader of the saffron party, Sabek Ali, was shot at and injured when his car stopped behind a truck which was blocking his way in Ratua area of Malda district.

Two BJP leaders, including a member of its state committee, were attacked allegedly by goons of the Trinamool Congress in separate parts of poll-bound West Bengal, police officials said on Monday. Gunmen fired at the car of the BJP's state committee member Krishnendu Mukherjee near his house at Asansol in Paschim Barddhaman district, but he was saved as the assailants failed to open the doors of his vehicle.

A local leader of the saffron party, Sabek Ali, was shot at and injured when his car stopped behind a truck which was blocking his way in Ratua area of Malda district. Both the leaders accused the TMC of being involved in the attacks that took place on Sunday night, though the ruling party rejected the charge.

The matters are being looked into, police officials said. ''As I was returning home in Asansol's Hirapur from Kolkata on Sunday night, three unidentified persons, whom I suspect to be TMC goons, stopped my car near my house and tried to open its doors, failing which they fired indiscriminately on the vehicle.

''The driver shouted for help and I repeatedly honked the horn to grab the attention of the local people, following which the assailants fled,'' Mukherjee said. He said that he has informed senior BJP leaders of the incident.

The TMC's Asansol Dakshin MLA Tapas Banerjee alleged that Mukherjee is an accused in several cases of extortion, smuggling and murder. He was absconding for a long time and the incident might be a fallout of his old rivalries, he claimed.

A complaint has been received from Mukherjee and CCTV footage in the area are being scrutinised, an officer of Hirapur police station said. In the second incident, gunmen fired at Sabek Ali in Barail locality when he was returning home after some party- related work and a bullet hit his hand.

Ali was admitted to the Malda Medical College and Hospital, police said. The incident occurred when Alis driver stopped his car behind a truck was parked on the middle of the road. Three persons emerged from the side of the truck and started firing.

Police sources said that the driver managed to drive the car away from the spot and took Ali to hospital. According to the complaint registered with the police, the husband and son of a local TMC panchayat pradhan were behind the attack.

State BJP general secretary Sayantan Basu, who visited Ali at the hospital on Monday, said that it appeared to be a planned attack. TMC Malda district president Mausam Benazir Noor, however, claimed that the attack was a result of the infighting of the saffron party.