TMC panchayat member accused of assaulting acting headmaster inside school

Kolkata, Sep 17 (PTI) A Trinamool Congress panchayat member was caught on camera allegedly assaulting the acting headmaster in front of students at a school in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas over a dispute regarding the collection of money for a trip, triggering a political row.

The incident took place at Birendra Vidyaniketan in Kakdwip where Tridib Barui, the TMC leader who is also the school managing committee (MC) president, allegedly grabbed headmaster Milankanti Pal by the neck and dragged him.

A video of the scuffle outside the school office has surfaced, though the headmaster alleged that CCTV footage from inside the office was deleted.

PTI could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.

Pal alleged that Barui on Tuesday tried to force him to sign a paper containing “false charges” that he had collected money without the managing committee’s approval.

“When I refused, he used force, grabbed me by the neck and dragged me,” Pal said, adding that he has been admitted to Kakdwip Super Speciality Hospital with injuries.

Rejecting the charges, Barui alleged that Pal “was collecting money without MC’s permission. When I asked for receipts, he crumpled the paper and pushed me. He tried to hit me, and I was only defending myself.” State BJP president Sukanta Bhattacharya condemned the episode on social media, calling it evidence of “terror in the education sector.” Education Minister Bratya Basu and Kakdwip TMC MLA Monturam Pakhira said the matter will be examined.

“If charges against Barui are proved, strict action will follow. The role of the acting headmaster will also be examined,” Pakhira said. PTI BSM SUS NN