7 thrashed in Bankura over cut-money row

BANKURA/CHINSURAH: Three TMC leaders and their associates, who had reportedly pledged to return cut money for being made beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, allegedly beat up and severely injured seven villagers in Bankura’s Gangajalghati after being asked to honour a pledge made last week.
In Hooghly’s Arambag, though, 11 villagers said five local TMC leaders honoured a similar pledge by returning the cut money they had paid for enrolment in MGNREGA.
BJP’s Kapistha leader Dilip Singh alleged: “We have informed Gangajalghati police station and the local BDO office about Monday night’s attack. If the culprits are not arrested in 24 hours, we will again gherao the leaders to demand they return cut money.”
State minister and Bankura Bishnupur TMC president Shyamal Santra said: “BJP is making largely false allegations. There are allegations against some of our leaders who are accused of taking cut money. But everyone should not be harassed this way.”
Bishnupur SDPO Priyabrata Bakshi said: “We have received an allegation by BJP and a counter-allegation by TMC. We are investigating both complaints.”