Kolkata, April 6 : The East Midnapore District Police in West Bengal have registered an FIR and launched an investigation into the assault on National Investigation Agency (NIA) personnel in Bhupatinagar district.

The case has been lodged against the local Trinamool Congress leader Monobrata Jana and his associates.

Sources said that the FIR has been registered at Bhupatinagar Police Station on the basis of the complaints filed by the NIA officials under Sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt), 353 (assault on public servant) 186 (obstructing public servant from discharging duty), 427 (mischief causing damage) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

The FIR has also incorporated Section 3 (mischief causing damage to public property) of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the NIA of provoking the locals of Bhupatinagar.

'Why did they not inform the police before going there? The villages have reacted naturally by spotting unknown people in the locality during the odd hours. Why are they arresting and harassing our people before the Lok Sabha polls? Does BJP want all booth agents to be arrested before the elections? They are giving oxygen to the BJP. I will appeal to the entire world to be vocal against such vindictive politics pursued by BJP,' the Chief Minister said.

The Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari said that the law & order has crumbled completely and since the control is right now with the Election Commission of India, it is high time that the commission takes proper action against the officer-in-charge of Bhupatinagar Police Station, the sub-division police officer of Contai, district police superintendent of East Midnapore District and the Director General of Police.

'It is due to Mamata Banerjee's repeated instigation that even after the ED officials were attacked in Sandeshkhali, the TMC still dared to attack the NIA officials. She recently spoke ill about the NIA at the political event at Mathabhanga, in the Cooch Behar district,' the LoP said.

/IANS