Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials were attacked and their vehicles damaged in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district when they visited the house of a Trinamool Congress leader in connection with a multi-crore ration scam in the state. Had gone to raid.
Officials said raids were underway since morning at the houses and offices of at least two block level TMC leaders (Shahjahan Shaikh and Shankar Adhya) and their relatives in North 24 Parganas. Central force personnel were also with him.
A team reached Sheikh’s house. When no one opened the door despite repeated calls, the officers tried to break the door. It was not known whether Shaikh or his family members were present in the house or not.
Hundreds of villagers, including women, gathered at the spot and started raising slogans and abusing against the ED officials. They also attacked officers and damaged at least one vehicle, a villager told media.
A villager said, “ED officials were attacked and a vehicle was damaged. Even the media was attacked. ED officials had to flee the spot.”
In the same district, the houses and offices of Aadya and her relatives were also raided simultaneously. State Food Minister Jyoti Priya Mallik has already been arrested in connection with the scam and is now in judicial custody.