Rabiul Mondal at Ranaghat sub-divisional hospital. Picture by Somnath Kundu

Ranaghat, July 3: The right hand of an elderly Nadia labourer was broken allegedly by Trinamul activists yesterday for standing up and clapping during a Congress leader’s speech.

Rabiul Mondal, 61, a resident of Maniktala village under the Trinamul-controlled Khisma gram panchayat, has been admitted to Ranaghat sub-divisional hospital with multiple fractures.

“When I was returning home after work yesterday, local Trinamul activists attacked me with rods and sticks. They hit me on my hands with rods. They said this was my punishment for clapping during a speech by a Congress leader. I pleaded with the youths to spare me but they did not listen. I fell down but they continued beating me,” Rabiul said.

He said he lay unattended on the road for about an hour before being taken to the hospital by some local youths.

Rabiul said he had stood up and clapped when the Congress chairman of Birnagar municipality, Partha Chatterjee, spoke on the rights of the poor during a panchayat election campaign rally in the area on Sunday.

“Parthababu spoke about the rights of poor people and the participation of villagers in meetings. I liked his speech so much that I stood up and clapped, urging him to speak more,” Rabiul said.

He said he was a CPM supporter till about five years ago but now, he did not support any party.

Rabiul’s wife Marjina Bibi lodged a complaint at Taherpur police station today. The officer in charge of the police station, Raja Sarkar, said: “We have received the complaint and started investigations.”

The doctor who examined Rabiul at the hospital said: “He has suffered fractures in his right arm. He also has injuries on his back.”

Tapas Ghosh, the Trinamul chief of Ranaghat block I, denied the allegations.

“Congress goons attacked Rabiul. The Congress is trying to malign Trinamul. I have told the Taherpur OC to investigate the matter and find out the real culprits,” Ghosh said.