A Trinamul worker’s right hand was damaged by crude bombs during an alleged clash between two factions of the ruling party in West Midnapore’s Keshpur on Wednesday.

Sheikh Rafiqul Ali, 35, was rushed to Keshpur health centre and to Midnapore Medical College, but lost at least three fingers of his right hand.

Sources said the incident occurred shortly prior to a Trinamul rally with an eye on next year’s panchayat polls at Charka village under Keshpur police station.

“Trinamul’s rival factions clashed over who should lead the rally. Both sides lobbed bombs,” said an eyewitness.

Rafiqul was engaged in the fight for one faction when a bomb exploded near him.

“As splinters hit his right hand, he lost three fingers,” said a Trinamul worker.

Trinamul district leadership appeared to blame the Opposition. Keshpur MLA and minister of state for panchayat and rural development, Shiuli Saha, said: “There was a Trinamul rally at Keshpur Bazar on Wednesday at 1pm. Earlier, the BJP and the CPM had resorted to bomb attacks.... One of our workers was seriously injured.”

Former minister and CPM district secretary Sushant Ghosh said: “Trinamul has always claimed that the CPM is non-existent in Keshpur. Now ghosts of the CPM are bombing them. People have seen who were clashing with bombs.”

BJP’s Ghatal organisational district chief Tanmoy Das said: “The BJP is not involved.”