Unable to meet Mamata, man assaults Secretariat staffer

A man attacked a government employee with a hammer on Monday, after his efforts to meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee failed.

Alok Saha, working in the Chief Minister’s Public Relations Office on the ground floor of the Writers’ Building, was rushed to hospital with bleeding injuries. His attacker, Animesh Mishra, was detained for interrogation.

Ms. Banerjee’s chamber is in the high-security zone on the first floor, and she was in the office when the incident occurred. Officials said Mishra, who hails from Krishnagar in Nadia district, was denied entry as he did not have any document to confirm the appointment he said he had with Ms. Banerjee.

He told the police that he had been visiting the Writers’ Building for more than five years, and he wanted to meet the Chief Minister “to make a complaint about his land having been grabbed during the Left Front government.” All he wanted was to meet the Chief Minister “to get justice.”

Officials said Mishra attacked Mr. Saha four times with a small hammer used by percussionists to tune their instruments.