The BJP’s candidate for the Bardhaman-Durgapur seat, Dilip Ghosh, was manhandled, his security guards injured and the car attacked by alleged Trinamool Congress supporters at two places in East Burdwan when he had gone to visit the areas after receiving complaints of poll malpractices on Monday.

The first incident occurred at Manteswar minutes after a brief political bonhomie between Ghosh and Trinamool candidate Kirti Azad was spotted by the media.

Manteswar is one of the seven Assembly segments in the Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha constituency from where Ghosh and Azad are contesting. The rivals suddenly came across their way, shook hands and greeted each other. However, the courtesy did not last long.

Ghosh arrived at Tulla village at Manteswar in the Burdwan Sadar subdivision around 1pm after receiving complaints that his polling agent had not been allowed to sit in the booth by Trinamool supporters. As soon as his car, along with central security personnel, arrived, some villagers believed to be supporters of Trinamool waylaid the vehicle.

They thumped on the bonnet of the white Scorpio and some of them lay down in front of the car. As Ghosh’s security personnel and police tried to push back the mob, he got down from the car and an argument followed.

“I have received complaints that Trinamool goons were not allowing BJP’s polling agent in the booth. They are also not allowing our dedicated voters to cast votes,” said Ghosh.

Ghosh was seen pushing around one of the agitators during altercations and was trying to proceed towards the polling booth. As the trouble intensified, the alleged Trinamool supporters started pelting Ghosh and his security personnel with stones and bricks. One of the guards suffered injury after a brick hit his head.

The police and the security guards baton-charged the mob and one person was injured.

The agitators also vandalised the vehicles of the security guards and some mediapersons covering the incident. Later, Ghosh said the Election Commission was informed about the incident.

Later in the afternoon, Ghosh was again attacked at Kalna gate in Burdwan town. The alleged Trinamool supporters hurled bricks at Ghosh’s convoy. The rear windshield of his SUV was damaged and another security guard was injured.

Ghosh said the attacks had happened in the presence of the state police,

Trinamool alleged four of its supporters were injured when Ghosh’s security guards resorted to a baton charge. Trinamool rejected the charges that the party was involved in the protests against Ghosh.