A woman was killed by a stray bullet when two factions of the Trinamul Congress fought with firearms, bombs and sticks over the control of a tea plantation at Nayabusty village near Islampur on Thursday.
Islampur Trinamul MLA Abdul Karim Chowdhury accused Zakir Hossain, the party’s local block president, of orchestrating the attack.
Sources said local Trinamul leader Sonu Mohammad and his associates had taken control of a tea plantation which had been abandoned by a private company at Nayabusty some years back. Mohammad has been engaging workers to pluck tea leaves and selling the same to bought leaf factories.
However, a few days ago, some other Trinamul workers, who are close to Zakir Hossain, went to the plantation and took its control. Hossain is known to be close to North Dinajpur district Trinamul chief Kanaialal Agarwala whose rift with Chowdhury is known in the party.
“When we went to pluck the tealeaves today, they attacked us with sticks, bombs and firearms. A woman was crossing the area and was hit by a bullet. She died on the spot,” said Mohammad.
He and Mohammad Israil suffered bullet injuries. The deceased woman was Rashida Khatun, 34.
Police reached the spot and brought the situation under control.
Chowdhury, the MLA, also went to the spot.
“Zakir Hossain and his associates unleashed a reign of terror in the area and now, they have started attacking common people. The police and the administration are sitting idle and not taking any action against him. I have written to the chief minister, saying how Zakir and others are creating trouble. Such things are affecting the party’s image,” said the MLA, who criticised Soumik Chakraborty, the inspector-in-charge of Islampur police station, for alleged inaction.
Hossain, however, denied the charges. “It is true that there was a clash between two groups over possession of a tea plantation. But it has nothing to do with Trinamul,” the Islampur block president of Trinamul said.
Sachin Makkar, the superintendent of police of Islampur police district, said two persons had been arrested in connection with the clash.
