Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata

Kolkata, Aug 22: Tension prevailed at Nazat village under Sandeshkhali-I block in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district after several rounds of bullets were fired at the residence of a local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader on Saturday.

According to local residents, a group of miscreants attacked the house of BJP leader Jumman Sheikh in the morning while he and his family members were asleep.

"The miscreants came from the adjacent field and surrounded the house and started firing indiscriminately. When the locals woke up to the sound of gunfire, the miscreants quickly escaped from the scene," a local resident told media persons.

Following the incident, personnel from the Nazat Police Station reached the spot and launched an investigation. Several bullet shells were recovered from different parts of the house, while bullet marks were also found on the walls of the BJP leader's residence.

A local police officer said the incident was being investigated with utmost seriousness. Police patrolling has also been intensified in the area to maintain peace and law and order, as well as to identify and arrest those responsible for the attack.

Meanwhile, Jumman Sheikh alleged that close associates of suspended Trinamool Congress leader Shajahan Sheikh, who was once considered a powerful figure in Sandeshkhali, were behind the attack.

"I am requesting our Chief Minister, Suvendu Adhikari, to direct the police to ensure our safety and arrest the attackers at the earliest," Jumman said.

His brother, Jahangir Sheikh, who was also inside the house when the firing took place, said he was asleep when the attack began.

"After being awakened by the sound of the gunfire, I peeped outside and saw that a group of miscreants had surrounded our house and were firing indiscriminately," Jahangir told media persons.