TMC MLA Jyotipriyo Mallick attacked by stranger; accused arrested

Kolkata, Nov 2 (PTI) Trinamool Congress MLA and former West Bengal minister Jyotipriyo Mallick was assaulted by a youth who intruded into his residence at the Salt Lake area on Sunday night, a senior police official said.

The youth, identified as Abhishek Das, was later arrested by police and is being interrogated.

The official said the accused, aged around 30 years, had trailed the Mallick, who entered his residence around 9 pm. The youth suddenly pounced on the former minister and punched him in his lower abdomen, leaving Mallick stunned.

As Mallick raised a hue and cry, his security staff and others nearby rushed in and overpowered the youth. The accused was later handed over to the Bidhannagar police.

The youth told interrogators he was a resident of the Habra area in the North 24 Parganas district and wanted to talk to Mallick for a job. Mallick represents the Habra constituency in the West Bengal assembly.

It was later known that the youth had been under psychiatric treatment at a state hospital in the city and had done several recce to Mallick's house in Salt Lake earlier in the day, the police official said.

Mallick told reporters he was under the impression that the youth wanted to meet him like other visitors and was astounded when he suddenly lunged forward and hit him.

"I am not sure if he was in an inebriated condition. I had never seen him before. It is unimaginable that someone from Habra will assault me," the ruling party's MLA said.

He, however, termed the attack a one-off case.

Mallick had been arrested by central agencies in connection with a corruption case about two years ago, when he was the forest minister. The corruption case was related to his stint as food and civil supplies minister earlier.

In the wake of his arrest, Mallick was removed from his post, with Birbaha Hansda taking charge as the forest minister. PTI SUS NSD NSD