Alleged Trinamul Congress supporters raided the homes of people who had offered a grand welcome to former minister Suvendu Adhikari at Sabang in West Midnapore on Monday.

Suvendu’s supporters were also assaulted by the alleged Trinamul goons in Dosogram panchayat on Monday night.

Adhikari had visited Dosogram on Monday to pay respects to former Trinamul block president Prabhat Maity’s wife who had died last week in Temathani.

“At least 500 members of the apolitical platform Dada’r Anugami reached the Dheati bridge, 15km away from Temathani, to give Suvendu a grand welcome. There was a bike rally also,” said an eyewitness.

“Adhikari paid his respects at Maity’s home in Temathani and left after 30 minutes, following which the supporters also returned.”

Sources said around 20 Trinamul-backed goons raided the homes of those who had turned up to welcome the former minister and thrashed them in the presence of their families. One of them was held hostage at a local Trinamul office as well and warned against continuing to support Adhikari.

“Later, Trinamul supporters carried out attacks with crude bombs in the Dosogram area around 1.30am today (Tuesday), particularly at the villages of Kolonda and Koptipur where at least 12 homes were vandalised,” said a resident.

Kolonda resident and local farmers’ union president Jugal Malakar was a member of the bike rally on Monday evening. “We came back from the rally late in the evening and settled down for dinner. Out of the blue, Trinamul workers stormed into my home and beat me with blunt objects threatening me of dire consequences if I continued to be part of Dada’r Anugami,” he said.

“I was dragged to the Botuabazar party office and held there till 3am. I was repeatedly threatened with violence if I did not quit Suvendu’s platform. I was let go only after I gave them a written undertaking,” added Arjun Manna, 37.

Trinamul’s Sabang block president Amal Panda condemned the violence. “Though Dada’r Anugami might not have been in line with the party, violence should have been avoided.”

In East Midnapore’s Haldia, a Trinamul councillor and president of Trinamul’s youth front, Ajgar Ali, called police on Monday to stop trucks that were campaigning for Adhikari’s Thursday rally. The posters on the rally were also torn down.

“The trucks were going around campaigning for Adhikari’s December 3 mega rally when Ajgar called police and got the vehicles seized,” said a source.

Responding to the allegations, Ajgar said: “Everyone here is Didi’s Anugami. No outsiders will come here and put up such posters under cover.”

At Khejuri, a 3km-long bike rally of the BJP was attacked by alleged Trinamul goons armed with crude bombs on the Rosulpur-Boga road. The goons allegedly smashed several vehicles carrying the BJP supporters.

Sources said the rally was organised by BJP mandal president Uday Shankar Maity, who has filed a complaint with the police.