KPP cries foul after cops pick up candidate

TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Malda: Police picked up Kamtapur People’s Party (KPP) candidate for North Malda, Atul Mondal, from his Habibpur home late on Friday, prompting KPP to allege a CPM conspiracy. CPM denied the charge. Police said Mondal had been charged with damaging public property and rioting during a KPP bandh earlier this month. Mandal is a central committee member of KPP. He was produced in Malda court on Saturday, which granted him bail, though he was charged under a non-bailable section. KPP members alleged a “political motive” behind the arrest. “It is a heinous conspiracy by police and CPM,” said Subhash Burman, general secretary of the KPP central committee. “For the past few days, police have unleashed torture on our supporters at Bamangola and Habibpur at the behest of CPM,” he added. Burman vowed to launch a movement against “police atrocity”. “We have written to the DM. But we have not launched a public agitation as HS exams are on,” he said. Jiban Maitra, CPM district secretary, rubbished Burman’s allegation. “I didn’t even know of the incident. Under Indian democracy, anyone can fight an election,” he said. “In the name of the Kamtapur movement, some people are resorting to violence and extortion.” Police, too, denied any political motive behind the arrest. “We didn’t know Mandal was a candidate,” said additional SP Kalyan Mukherjee.