Kolkata, April 30 (IANS): BJP's candidate from Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency Rekha Patra, who led the women's protest in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali against a section of local Trinamool Congress activists over alleged sexual harassments, was manhandled on Tuesday.

The incident occurred when she went to Kharivanga area to meet local BJP activist Kalidas Bachar, who got injured on Monday allegedly following clashes between Trinamool Congress and BJP activists there.

As Rekha Patra reached the spot accompanied by local BJP leader Archana Majumdar and her security personnel, eyewitnesses said, a group of Trinamool Congress activists started protesting and shouting slogans against her.

This led to a scuffle between the Trinamool Congress and BJP activists. The ruling party activists, who included some women, also tried to attack Rekha Patra and Archana Majumdar with sticks. The BJP leadership claimed that the candidate and the party leader were injured.

"The attack was unprovoked. The police were there. But they remain mute spectators. Both me and Rekha were hit," Archana Majumdar told media persons.

"Are they human beings? Trinamool Congress is trying to instigate violence in the area in such a manner," said Rekha Patra.

However, the local Trinamool Congress leaders claimed that the scuffle was the result of the spontaneous protest by the local villagers and women against attempts by Rekha Patra to "create tension" in the areas.

The ruling party leadership claimed that on Monday, Kalidas Bachar and his associates "created tension" in the area by launching an "unprovoked attack" on the Trinamool Congress workers, and on Tuesday, Rekha Patra came to "aggravate the tension" further.

The Union government has given Rekha Patra Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) security cover. Besides Rekha Patra, five other BJP candidates -- Pranat Tudu from Jhargram, Nirmal Saha from Baharampur, Ashok Kandari from Jaynagar, Ashok Purkit from Mathurapur and Kartik Paul from Raiganj -- have also been given the CAPF security.