A BJP worker from Baduria, North 24-Parganas, who allegedly sought the deletion of 33 voters by claiming they were dead and 12 “duplicates” through Form 7, had to go into hiding after being threatened by goons suspected to have Trinamool Congress links.

Groups of men stormed the home of BJP worker Dipak Mondal, 30, in Ishwarigacha village of Baduria block, on Friday and Saturday, searching for him and loudly threatening him with dire consequences for “submitting Form 7 applications to get 45 valid voters deleted”.

On both days, Mondal was not at home, but his wife and mother were. While Mondal, associated with the BJP’s Basirhat organising district, has not dared to return home, his wife has left in fear. Mondal’s ailing mother, Kalpana Mondal, is currently staying at the residence. Kalpana alleged that unidentified men on motorcycles were keeping surveillance on their home.

Baduria police have deployed civic volunteers outside his residence to prevent any untoward incident.

Tensions escalated on Saturday morning at the block development office, acting as a hearing centre, when Trinamool supporters allegedly heckled and assaulted an assistant electoral registration officer (AERO), accusing the him of receiving Form 7 applications from Mondal. They also brought 33 voters to the office to prove that they were alive and demanded punishment for the AERO and Mondal. The Election Commission has sought a report on the incident from the district administration.

Mondal, who runs a grille-manufacturing workshop, denied submitting Form 7 applications and alleged he was being framed. Speaking to The Telegraph over the phone on Sunday, he refused to disclose his location and said: “I have never submitted any Form 7 at all.”

“I live in Ishwarigacha near the Baduria block development office. Chandipur, from where I have been accused of seeking exclusion of 45 voters, 33 dead and 12 dual entries, is 9km away. I have no idea about voters in Chandipur. Why should I submit Form 7 applications about people I don’t know?” Mondal asked.

“I suspect my signature on Form 7 was forged. It appears that I have been implicated by Trinamool as I am a well-known BJP worker and I help people in pursuing official matters as I stay near the block development office,” he added.

Mondal said his ordeal began on Friday when news spread that he had allegedly filed Form 7 applications seeking deletions of 45 “dead and duplicate” voters. On Friday night, goons “stormed inside my house in my absence. In front of my wife and mother, they gave me death threats”.

On Saturday, after the bedlam at the block development office, some men again went to Mondal’s house with threats.

Mondal so far has not lodged a police complaint. However, BJP Basirhat organising district president Sukalyan Baidya has informed the police and has sought protection for Mondal’s family and assurances that he can safely return home.

Since Friday, Mondal’s workshop is shut, leaving his workers jobless. His mother said she was uncertain about when her son would return home. “I am afraid of an attack on my son’s life due to political reasons. I urge the police to protect him and ensure his return,” Kalpana said.

BJP leader Baidya accused chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee of inciting attacks on BJP workers.

“It is a part of a planned and strategic attempt to assault BJP workers everywhere and unleash tension. Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee have both incited Trinamool workers and supporters to teach those linked with the BJP a lesson. The threat to Dipak is the result of those instructions. Dipak is in no way linked with what Trinamool has blamed him for,” Baidya said, alleging that Mondal’s signature may have been forged on Form 7.

Local Trinamool leaders, however, denied any threats against Mondal but said they had evidence to believe he submitted the Form 7 applications seeking deletion of 45 voters, including 33 “dead”.

Form 7 is a statutory application used to object to the inclusion of a name in the electoral roll or to seek deletion on grounds such as death, change of residence, duplication of entries, or a voter being missing from the given address. Any individual may submit the form, though officials stress that all such applications are subject to verification during the SIR exercise.