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Trinamool Congress leader Debobrata Mondal, alias Babu Mondal, and his associate were critically injured after unidentified assailants opened fire at them in Howrah late on Thursday night, police said.
Mondal, who is the head of Howrah’s Sampuipara Basukathi gram panchayat was returning home around 11 pm on a motorcycle with his associate Anupam Rana when the attack took place near the Nishchinda-Buro Shibtala area under Liluah police station limits, a senior police officer said on Friday.
According to police, two motorcycle-borne assailants approached them and fired several rounds at close range.
Mondal was hit in the waist and shoulder, while Anupam sustained bullet injuries when he tried to resist the attackers.
Residents rushed the two to the hospital after they collapsed on the road.
Both were rushed to a private hospital in North Howrah in critical condition, and Mondal has since been shifted to SSKM Hospital.
“Babu Mondal was returning home after a small party when he was hit from very close range. They both were on a bike,” said officials.
Police have launched an investigation and are searching for the assailants.
According to police sources, the investigating team is examining CCTV footage to identify and arrest the accused. “They have been hospitalised. A case has been registered and all efforts are being made to arrest the accused,” said Howrah Police Commissioner Praveen Tripathy.
The shooting has triggered panic in the area, further heightening tensions in Howrah ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
A history-sheeter, Suman Choudhury, who has previous cases of extortion and attempted murder against him, has emerged as a person of interest in the probe.
The incident has heightened tensions in the area ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, with some local TMC workers alleging the involvement of a man known as Basu, though police said all angles were being investigated.
Several party leaders and workers, including Howrah District (Sadar) TMC President and MLA Goutam Chowdhury, MLA Kalyan Ghosh, and Domjur Youth Trinamool President Noorj Molla, visited the hospital.
MLA Kalyan Ghosh said, “It is unclear why this happened. We have asked the police to arrest the culprits immediately.”
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