Trinamool Congress party office set ablaze

Durgapur, Jan 3 (UNI) A Trinamool Congress party office, situated near the Durgapur Steel Plant, was set ablaze around midnight last night.

Police said here today that fire brigade personnel, who arrived late, managed to douse the flames only after the entire office was gutted.

Meanwhile, party workers said several important documents were reduced to ashes.

Mr Probhat Chatterjee, president of the party's Durgapur unit, alleged that CPI(M) activists had set the office ablaze and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.

He also threatened to launch an agitation if the culprits were not brought to book. Trinamool Congress activists organised a road blockade on the National Highway 2 for 15 minutes to protest the incident.

However, CPI(M) district secretary Amal Haldar denied the party's involvement and alleged that Trinamool workers had themselves set their office afire.

Durgapur Additional Superintendent of Police Deep Shankar Rudra said, ''Nobody was present near the spot at the time of the mishap.

Therefore, it could not be proved whether it was the handiwork of CPI(M) supporters or someone else.'' UNI XC DPM PL KD KN1522