Kolkata/Tamluk: Police registered an FIR against Trinamool candidate Pabitra Kar on Thursday for alleged assault, intimidation and looting in Nandigram’s Krishnanagar area — the first such case against any candidate since the model code came into effect. Kar could not be reached for comment.The complaint was lodged by Buddhadeb Giri, a local, who alleged that on April 6 at around 1:30pm, Kar and three others — Rajesh Khan, Akhil Khan and Nasim Khan — confronted him near a Vishnu temple, pressured him to chant “Joy Bangla” and assaulted him with punches, kicks and bamboo sticks when he refused.Giri alleged that Rs 3,700 in cash and a wristwatch were also taken. He was treated at Reapara Rural Hospital. A case was registered under relevant sections at Nandigram police station. No arrests were made by late Thursday evening.The FIR came a day after leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari raised an issue about Kar’s dual political status — pointing out that Kar, who won the 2023 panchayat elections from Bayal gram panchayat on a BJP ticket, had joined Trinamool on March 17 in the presence of Abhishek Banerjee and was subsequently fielded from Nandigram.“Under which law can an adult citizen be a member of two political parties at the same time?” Adhikari asked. The BJP candidate added, however, that he had not objected during scrutiny and intended to defeat Kar at the ballot instead.
