Mamata nephew assailant arrested, but none who thrashed him

Kolkata, Jan 5 (IANS) The youth who slapped Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was arrested Monday on various charges including attempt to murder even as he lay hospitalised in a serious condition after being brutally assaulted by a mob.

But none of those who almost lynched Debasish Acharya after he hit Abhishek Banerjee on the dais of a Trinamool Youth Congress (TYC) public meeting Sunday, were taken into custody by police, who only slapped "culpable homicide" charges against some "unknown people".

Acharya, a resident of Tamluk in East Midnapore district, is now under treatment in Tamluk Hospital after he was mercilessly thrashed by a mob of purportedly Trinamool workers for attacking Banerjee during the TYC meeting in Chandipur.

Charges of attempt to murder, criminal trespass, voluntarily causing hurt and criminal intimidation were slapped against the youth.

Police said there were plans to present him in court Tuesday if his condition improved substantially.

But despite television channels carrying extensive footage of the mob beating Acharya black and blue, no one from among the mob has been arrested so far.

"Cases of culpable homicide have been registered against unknown people under various sections of the Indian Penal Code dealing with assault and lynching," East Mindapore Superintendent of Police Sukesh Jain told IANS over phone.

Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Anuj Sharma said the youth's family had conceded that he had contacts with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

"His father said he was appointed 'zila promukh' (district head) of the ABVP in East Midnapore district. He also said Debasish had come in contact with some ABVP and RSS people. His father said he also attended a conference of the ABVP in Contai in the district," Sharma said.