Dwaipayan.GhoshKolkata: At least a dozen men, allegedly carrying deadly weapons, reportedly attacked one of south Kolkata’s most recognized Durga puja organizers post-midnight on Sunday injuring at least two persons. The attack at the 61-year-old Ajeya Sanghat Club premises – located at Haridevpur off the MG Road, the club barely a few minutes’ walk from the Karunamoyee Kali Temple – left at least one senior functionary of the club with severe head injuries.The attackers also reportedly snapped the entire CCTV network of the club and took away the hard drive in order to allegedly wipe out any evidence of the attack. However, the under construction pandal was left untouched.CCTV footage recovered from the spot from another camera showed the group of men arrive in bikes and storm the club premises and then clobber and slap at least three persons present at that point at the club office. Along with vandalizing the premises, they reportedly assaulted several club members.One club member, Arijit Nandi, is said to have suffered a serious head injury. CCTV footage of the incident has already surfaced. The injured members, including Arijit, reportedly sought shelter at the residence of former local councillor and a Mamata Banerjee loyalist, Ratna Sur.Speaking about the incident, injured club member Nandi said the very club and Durga Puja they had built with years of dedication had come under attack. “This wasn’t done over any political affiliation. The club we built, the puja we nurtured and expanded bit by bit, has been torn apart. They even took away all the CCTV drives. Anyone who visits the club will see the extent of the damage. I’m not worried about my own physical condition; I’m worried about my club. Ajeya Sanghati Club hosts one of Kolkata’s major pujas, and that is what concerns me now,” said Nandi.After the incident, former councillor Sur also questioned the role of the police. She alleged that despite repeated calls to the officer-in-charge of Haridevpur police station, no prompt action was taken to bring the situation under control.Sur claimed, “Since I am politically associated with the Trinamool Congress, BJP supporters are targeting me. Earlier too, there have been incidents such as attacks on their workers’ homes and forcing shops to shut, which may be political matters. But an armed attack in the dead of night on a club like Ajeya Sanghati, especially when Durga Puja preparations are underway, is not a political issue—it is a direct question of public safety.”The BJP has denied the allegations with state cabinet minister Dilip Ghosh claiming that it was “becoming a fashion” to blame BJP for anything. “Now the easiest method to get attention is to shift the blame onto the BJP. The BJP has no interest in such actions. It may take some time to identify those who have carried out violent politics in Bengal for the past 50 years. But they will not be spared,” said GhoshThe attack on a club like Ajeya Sanghati – that had placed Haridevpur among one of the must visit places during Durga puja along with a couple of other local organizers – has caused a stir in the area with several onlookers visiting the spot on Monday and seeking to know about the incident.Police said that they are not aware of any formal complaint being filed by the club in this regard. “We are not yet aware of anyone filing any complaint in this regard. However, we have asked the Haridevpur police to check on the allegations,” said a top Behala division officer.Kolkata: At least a dozen men, allegedly carrying weapons, reportedly attacked one of south Kolkata’s best-known Durga puja organisers post-midnight on Sunday, injuring at least two persons. The attack at the 61-year-old Ajeya Sanghati Club in Haridevpur left at least one senior club functionary with severe head injuries.The attackers reportedly damaged the club’s entire CCTV network and took away its hard drive, allegedly to wipe out evidence of the assault. The under-construction puja pandal, however, was left untouched.CCTV footage recovered from another camera showed a group of men arriving on bikes and storming the club premises before clobbering and slapping at least three people present in the club office. Several club members were reportedly assaulted and parts of the premises vandalised.Club member Arijit Nandi suffered a serious head injury. CCTV footage of the incident has since surfaced.The injured members, including Nandi, reportedly sought shelter at the residence of former local councillor and Mamata Banerjee loyalist Ratna Sur.Speaking about the incident, Nandi said the club and Durga Puja that members had built over years had come under attack. “This wasn’t done over any political affiliation. The club we built, the puja we nurtured and expanded bit by bit, has been torn apart. They even took away all the CCTV drives. Anyone who visits the club will see the extent of the damage. I’m not worried about my own physical condition; I’m worried about my club. Ajeya Sanghati Club hosts one of Kolkata’s major pujas, and that is what concerns me now,” said Nandi.Former councillor Sur questioned the role of the police, alleging that despite repeated calls to the Haridevpur OC, no prompt action was taken to control the situation.Sur claimed, “Since I am politically associated with Trinamool, BJP supporters are targeting me. Earlier too, there have been incidents such as attacks on their workers’ homes and forcing shops to shut, which may be political matters. But an armed attack in the dead of night on a club like Ajeya Sanghati, especially when Durga Puja preparations are underway, is not a political issue — it is a direct question of public safety.”BJP denied the allegations. Cabinet minister Dilip Ghosh said it was “becoming a fashion” to blame the BJP for anything. “Now the easiest method to get attention is to shift the blame onto the BJP. The BJP has no interest in such actions. It may take some time to identify those who have carried out violent politics in Bengal for the past 50 years. But they will not be spared,” said Ghosh.The attack has caused a stir in Haridevpur, with several people visiting the club on Monday.Police said they were not aware of any formal complaint from the club. “We are not yet aware of anyone filing any complaint in this regard. However, we have asked the Haridevpur police to check on the allegations,” said a top Behala division officer.
