Tensions flare in Kalyani ahead of April 29 polls as BJP alleges “brutal attack”, TMC rejects claims

Tensions have sharply escalated in Kalyani, Nadia district, just days before the crucial second phase of voting on April 29, following serious allegations by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that its workers were brutally assaulted. The incident, which reportedly took place on Friday night in the Shahidpally area, has heightened concerns over law and order in the run-up to polling. In response, heavy police deployment along with central forces has been put in place to prevent further escalation.

According to BJP leaders, at least three party workers sustained injuries after a group of alleged attackers descended on them while they were gathered at a local ground. The situation quickly turned volatile, prompting party supporters to stage protests outside the Kalyani police station, demanding immediate arrests. BJP candidate Anupam Biswas led the demonstration, with supporters raising slogans against alleged police inaction. Authorities have confirmed that one person has been detained and an investigation is currently underway.

Injured workers have claimed that the attackers not only targeted them in public spaces but also entered their homes and assaulted them. They further alleged that many of the assailants were outsiders and not locally known, intensifying suspicions of a planned attack. The BJP has maintained that the violence was politically motivated and aimed at intimidating its cadre ahead of the elections, adding that two of its workers remain untraceable following the incident.

However, the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) has categorically denied all allegations, describing them as baseless and politically motivated. Local TMC leadership has suggested that the incident stemmed from an internal dispute among BJP workers, allegedly triggered by alcohol consumption and escalating into a physical altercation. As conflicting narratives continue to emerge, the incident has significantly heightened political tensions in Kalyani, raising serious concerns about maintaining peace during the upcoming polling phase.