Calcutta, May 22: BJP leader Roopa Ganguly has alleged she was pushed and punched by a group of suspected Trinamul supporters today when she had gone to Kakdwip to meet a party colleague beaten up last night.
Sources said the group attacked Roopa after she allegedly slapped a woman thinking she was the sister of a Trinamul worker involved in yesterday's clash with the BJP, in which a BJP supporter was reportedly beaten up and molested.
Roopa said she had a "close brush with death". " Benche paliye esechi (I somehow escaped)," she added.
Trinamul's Kakdwip MLA, Manturam Pakhira, denied those who attacked Roopa were party supporters, accusing the BJP of blowing the incident out of proportion.
The actress-turned-politician had to be given first-aid at a Diamond Harbour hospital and was advised sonography. But she decided to undergo further treatment in Calcutta.
Doctors said Roopa had suffered a head injury and bruises on her right hand.
The BJP has decided to take out a protest march in Calcutta tomorrow.
Roopa, who is the president of the BJP's state women's wing, was leading a 15-member team to Kakdwip to meet the party worker allegedly molested yesterday.
On her way back to Calcutta, one of the BJP leaders accompanying Roopa pointed to a woman nearby, saying she is the sister of a youth involved in yesterday's attack.
"Roopadi immediately stopped her car and got down to speak to her," said Abhijit Das, the BJP's South 24-Parganas district president.
"Trinamul supporters gathered around her and there was an altercation. We tried to leave but the crowd stopped the last of the three cars in our convoy. Roopadi got down again and was surrounded by Trinamul workers led by Babushona Kamar."
Kamar, a local Trinamul leader, is untraceable.
Sources said Roopa then slapped the woman, following which she was attacked. BJP leader Das, however, denied this.
Das said the crowd began pushing and punching the actress-turned-politician and the others accompanying her.
"Some slapped and punched us too," said Sanghamitra Chaudhuri, the vice-president of the BJP women's wing.
Police intervened and took Roopa and the others to hospital. Roopa's car was damaged.
