Buddhadeb condemns attack on MLA Deepa, orders immediate arrest

Kolkata, Nov 29 (UNI) West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today condemned last night's attack on Congress MLA Deepa Dasmunsi and said the culprits would be booked at the earliest.

Replying to an Opposition-sponsored non-government motion on the '' increasing'' police atrocities on rival party workers, Mr Bhattacharjee expressed concern over the attack at Grangdanda near Islampur in North Dinajpur district of North Bengal by some ''unidentified miscreants'' and assured the House of immediate action against the culprits.

''Immediately after being informed about the incident, I instructed Home Secretary Prasad Ranjan Roy to take all possible actions to nab the culprits at the earliest, '' the Chief Minister said and made it clear that stern action would be taken against them irrespective of political affiliations.

Describing it as an isolated incident, the Chief Minister completely disagreed to the Trinamool Congress and the Congress' allegation that the law and order situation in the state had deteriorated beyond improvement.

''I would have given the same instruction to police even if such attack was made on any common person,'' the Chief Minister told the members.

Ms Dasmunsi, a Congress MLA from Goalpokahar constituency in North Dinajpur district, is the wife of Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi.

Her car was attacked at around 2030 hrs last night while she was en route to Bedbari near the Indo-Bangladesh border in the district, about 125 km from here, to address a byelection meeting for party candidate Hamidur Rahman in neighbouring Islampur constituency.

Though Ms Dasmunshi escaped unhurt, her driver sustained multiple injuries and the car suffered heavy damage.

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