Midnapore, Dec. 8: A group of Citu workers raided a hotel in Digha on Saturday and scared away all its employees, forcing the owner to shut it down.

Balai Das, the owner of Maniraj Hotel, said he had employed Srimanta Jana, a tourist guide and a local Citu leader, on a monthly contract of Rs 1,100.

On Saturday, Srimanta and a dozen of his associates stormed the hotel and thrashed its manager, demanding more money, Das said.

“He threatened the other employees of the hotel with dire consequences if the hotel remained open. The employees were scared and left the hotel. I had no other alternative but to close it down,” he added.

Das lodged a complaint with Digha police. But they have neither arrested Srimanta nor started any action against him. The officer-in-charge of Digha police station, Dilip Bhadra, said an investigation had been launched.

The hotel’s manager, Debu Das, said Srimanta had taken an advance of Rs 500 last month. “So this month we paid him Rs 600. But he demanded that he be paid Rs 1,100. When we did not concede to his demand, he went and brought with him about a dozen associates, beat me up and also destroyed some furniture.”

Citu leader and local committee member of the CPM Suriya Bose said: “We have come to know of the incident and we are looking into it.”

Das has also lodged a complaint with the Digha Hoteliers’ Association and deposited the hotel keys with it.