Bombs were hurled at villagers who had assembled in front of a Trinamul leader’s house at a Birbhum village to demand return of cut money on Wednesday morning.

BJP leaders at Sahapur village alleged that the bombs were hurled by the followers of the Trinamul leader to scare away the protesters. Trinamul denied involvement in the bombings and accused the BJP of inciting people and throwing bombs.

Policemen who had come to quell the situation were also attacked with bombs. The cops aimed their rifles and revolvers at the miscreants to drive them away. Police sources said they would have opened fire if reinforcements had not arrived from Suri quickly.

The police have arrested nine persons, including two sons and a brother of Trinamul leader Enamul Sheikh, from whom people had demanded the return of cut money.

“We have arrested nine persons in connection with the Sahapur incident and raids are on to pick up the others and seize the bombs,” Shyam Singh, the Birbhum police chief, said.

Sources said the villagers backed by local BJP leaders had gone to the house of Enamul, the president of Trinamul’s Sahapur anchal committee, on Tuesday evening to demand that the leader return cut money.

Enamul had apparently assured the villagers that he would meet them on Wednesday morning.

The villagers alleged that Enamul had taken the money by promising to allot them houses under government schemes or give them work under the 100-day rural job-guarantee scheme.

“When we had almost reached Enamul’s house on Wednesday morning, around 30 miscreants, who are followers of the Trinamul leader, attacked us with bombs. They chased us with bags full of bombs and we ran for our lives,” said Sheikh Nabir, a villager who recently switched to the BJP from Trinamul.

Local BJP workers informed the police and a team from Sadaipur police station led by the officer-in-charge, Partha Sarathi Mondal, reached the spot. Bombs were hurled targeting the police.

“The miscreants were so desperate that they hurled bombs at us too. We aimed our guns at them to scare them away. However, the situation was brought under control after additional forces led by deputy superintendent of police Abhijit Mondal arrived,” an officer said.

The villagers alleged that Enamul had taken amounts ranging between Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000 from each beneficiary of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

Sailen Das, a Sahapur resident, said: “The Trinamul leader had taken Rs 20,000 from each beneficiary in our village. He had taken money from me too. We had gone to demand the return of the cut money we had paid him, but his followers attacked us with bombs.”

Enamul denied having taken cut money from anyone and pointed fingers at the BJP.

“BJP workers attacked my house with bombs. I have not taken any cut money from anyone. Villagers who earlier supported the CPM have now joined the BJP and are threatening to kill me.”

Local BJP leaders denied the allegation.