Miscreants attack media vehicles covering elections in West Bengal

KOLKATA: A group of miscreants attacked vehicles carrying media personnel with bricks and bamboo sticks in Keshpur in Paschim Medinipur district during the second phase of polling in West Bengal today.

Local television stations broadcast footage of the attack, which show the cars being damaged with bricks and broken window panes. Men armed with sticks can be seen chasing and hitting the vehicles.

Another video shows a woman journalist negotiating with the men to allow their vehicle to move.

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Two media companies alleged that their journalists were assaulted while on assignment in Keshpur, one of the 30 constituencies in Bengal that went to polls today.

Sources said, a woman journalist was allegedly injured in the attack.

The incident occurred just minutes after the vehicle of BJP candidate Tanmay Ghosh from the Keshpur assembly constituency was targeted. According to police, three people have been arrested in connection with the incident.

In Keshpur, stones were pelted at BJP leader Pritish Ranjan Kuar's convoy. A troop of central forces has arrived on the scene. A report from the administration has also been requested by the Election Commission of India.

In a separate incident this afternoon, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's convoy was attacked in Nandigram's Satengabari district. The former Bengal minister escaped unharmed.

Adhikari's vehicle was attacked with stones. According to sources, a media vehicle trailing the BJP leader's car was also damaged.

Mamata Banerjee is contesting against protege-turned-rival Adhikari in Nandigram's biggest political battle of the election season. On March 10, the TMC supremo sustained injuries to her left leg and shoulder when greeting people from her vehicle in Nandigram.

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