West Bengal bypolls: Asansol BJP candidate Agnimitra Paul alleges stones were pelted at her car

#WATCH | West Bengal: Violence breaks out in Asansol where bypoll voting to Lok Sabha seat is underway. Agnimitra Paul, who is BJP candidate for the seat alleges, “TMC people attacked us, hurled stones at our convoy. Police doing nothing… ” pic.twitter.com/pdQGZWF57h

— ANI (@ANI) April 12, 2022

The incident allegedly took place at Barabani in Asansol where a group of men – armed with sticks – encircled her car and pelted stones at it, Paul said, adding that her security guards were also heckled by the mob.

“TMC goons attacked my car with bamboo sticks. They pelted stones on my car and ransacked it. Police were standing as mute spectators. I was pushed and shoved and so are my security guards. Look what is happening here,” she told media persons.

A quick response team of central forces and the police arrived at the spot and controlled the situation, authorities said.

The TMC has fielded yesteryear actor Shatrughan Sinha from Asansol constituency against Paul. “It is frustration and desperation on part of someone who knows that he or she will lose. I do not want to take names. That same person called me ‘gaddar (traitor)’. I have never been called that in my life,” Sinha told reporters.

According to sources with the Election Commission, a probe has been initiated into the incident.

Bypoll is also underway in Ballygunge assembly segment as minister Subrata Mukherjee, who represented the constituency, died last year. Altogether, 680 of the total 2,012 booths in Asansol in Paschim Bardhaman district and all the 300 booths in Ballygunge in south Kolkata have been identified as “sensitive”.

According to the commission, till 9 am 12.77% votes were polled in Asansol while 8% votes were polled in Ballygunge.