BJP leader Arjun Singh's office-cum-residence attacked in West Bengal; police begin probe

Former Lok Sabha MP Arjun Singh alleges attack on his office-cum-residence in West Bengal, sparking political controversy and police investigation.

Former Lok Sabha MP and BJP leader Arjun Singh alleged that a group of people threw stones, hurled bombs and fired multiple gunshots at his office-cum-residence Meghna More in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas at around 8.30 a.m. on Friday (October 4, 2024.)

Mr. Singh claimed that he sustained a splinter wound during the incident. In a tweet accompanied by a video, Mr. Singh said, "This morning, while everyone was occupied with Navratri Puja, several jihadis and goons, under the protection of Namit Singh — an accused in NIA cases and son of a local @AITCofficial Councillor — attacked my office-cum-residence, Mazdoor Bhawan, with the local police looking on."

He claimed that police were mere spectators as the assailants brandished firearms openly. "Around 15 bombs were thrown, and more than a dozen rounds were fired by these people," he said. PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the video shared by Mr. Singh. Eyewitnesses claimed that smoke engulfed Jagatdal’s Meghna More because of hurling of bombs.

An officer from Jagatdal police station said there were no confirmed injuries and that senior police officials, along with additional forces, were at the scene to conduct an investigation. Mr. Singh, who previously switched allegiance from the Trinamool Congress to the BJP, lost to TMC's Partha Bhowmick in the recent general elections.

Meanwhile, Jagatdal MLA Somenath Shyam claimed that Mr. Singh had himself fired four rounds. Mr. Shyam said, "After losing his political footing, he is blaming the Trinamool Congress (TMC) for problems he created himself, along with other local conflicts unrelated to our party."

In a post on X, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said, "This morning, prominent goons & renowned anti-socials associated with the ruling Trinamool Congress Party attacked the home of senior BJP Leader & former MP; Shri Arjun Singh, in Bhatpara; North 24 Parganas district. They even hurled crude bombs. As usual the Police played the role of mute spectator and didn't do much to deter the criminals."

He added that the video footage was enough to identify and arrest the culprits for this heinous crime. "I hope DGP@WBPolice will at least try to use the visuals for nabbing these miscreants," he said.