A college professor allegiant to the Trinamool Congress was assaulted by a group allegedly associated with a leader of the ruling party at Hemtabad in North Dinajpur on Tuesday evening.

Kaleshwar Barman, a professor in the philosophy department of the Harirampur College in South Dinajpur, suffered serious injuries and is under treatment at the Raiganj Government Medical College & Hospital (RGMCH). He is associated with the Trinamool-backed West Bengal College & University Professors' Association (Webcupa).

Barman has alleged that Majibur Rahaman, the vice-president of Trinamool in the Hemtabad block, orchestrated the attack. Rahaman is known to be a close associate of Satyajit Barman, the local TMC MLA and the minister of state for education.

The professor was sitting at a tea stall at the bus stand in Hemtabad when the assault took place.

“I have been working to bring disillusioned Trinamool workers back to the party fold. While I was talking to some people yesterday, Majibur's associates attacked me with sticks. He led the attack and his henchmen beat and kicked me repeatedly,” said Barman.

Local people took Barman to the Hemtabad Rural Hospital, from where he was referred to RGMCH.

Rahaman has denied the charge and said Barman holds no official position in the TMC.

“These days, he (Barman) is maligning the chief minister and the MLA. He has been organising meetings without the party's knowledge and spreading false information about Trinamool leaders,” said Majibur.

“Yesterday, we tried to speak to him but he became aggressive. There was a minor scuffle and he might have accidentally suffered injuries. We didn't attack him,” the TMC leader added.

Minister Satyajit Barman said: “I do not know this person (Kaleshwar Barman). It seems to be a conspiracy to malign us.”

Krishna Kalyani, the Raiganj MLA, said: “I strongly denounce the assault on an academic. I have requested police to conduct an impartial inquiry and arrest the attackers.”