Malda police have enhanced the security cover of two prominent Trinamool leaders in the district in the wake of recent attacks on Malda leaders of the state’s ruling party.

A team of five armed police personnel, led by an assistant sub-inspector, has been posted at the residence of Sabina Yeasmin, the minister of state for north Bengal development and irrigation.

Yeasmin, the three-time TMC MLA of Mothabari, had a security cover of three armed police personnel.

“Recently, another five police personnel were posted at my residence by the Mothabari police station. I did not ask the police to enhance my security, but as the police authorities consider it necessary to engage more security personnel for me, I accepted it,” Yeasmin said. “The increase in my security cover, however, will not hinder people's access to me.”

Additional policemen have been deployed for round-the-clock security of Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury, the chairperson of Trinamool-run Englishbazar municipality and a former state minister. While a team of policemen have been posted at his residence in Malda's Golapatti, the number of security personnel accompanying him has also gone up.

“Over the past few weeks, the number of security personnel for me has been increased. During the Left regime, 17 attempts were made to kill me. I have always been the target of political rivals and am lucky to be alive,” said Choudhury.

“I am not bothered by my security arrangements. Rather, I am concerned about the security of my colleagues and the people of Malda,” he added.

In Malda, Dulal Sarkar, a councillor and a district vice-president of Trinamool, was gunned down by gunmen in broad daylight on January 2 at Mahanandapally.

Merely a fortnight later, a deadly attack was made on Bakul Sheikh, a TMC leader of Naoda Jadupur area under Kaliachak police station limits. Sheikh narrowly escaped, but a Trinamool worker was killed in the attack.

On February 1, Manikchak TMC MLA Sabitri Mitra alleged her SUV was hit by another vehicle on the Malda-Manikchak state highway at night while she returning home.

In mid-February, Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury complained of extortion calls, where he and his family members were allegedly threatened with dire consequences.

“Some incidents made us review the security cover of some prominent political leaders in the district. Necessary steps have been taken,” said a senior police officer.