Other States - West Bengal   

Mamata complains of chest pain, advised rest

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress chief and Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee complained of chest pain and breathing problems on Monday evening and has been advised complete rest for the next few days by doctors, her special officer Ratan Mukherjee said here on Tuesday.

“She has authorised the two Ministers of State for Railways to attend both Houses of Parliament in the next two to three days and answer questions related to the Ministry,” he told journalists.

An X-ray was done and the seriousness of the chest pain would be known only after investigations are over. It was also suggested that she be hospitalised for at least two days.

Ms. Banerjee, it was learnt, suffered discomfort in her chest after an incident near Kolaghat in Purbo Medinipur district.

A lorry hit a car that was part of her convoy while she was returning to Kolkata after addressing the rally in Lalgarh and the driver of the vehicle was injured.

Soon after the incident, Ms. Banerjee said the lorry came from the “wrong side” and hit the car carrying personnel of the Intelligence Branch of the State police, who were part of her security team.

In the impact “the police car hit our car,” she said.

Mr. Mukherjee said there was “definitely an attempt on her life” and investigations would reveal those involved: “It was pre-planned and she was the target….There must have been some lapse in security, otherwise how could a lorry have come in between the convoy?”

Party general secretary Mukul Roy demanded an inquiry into the incident.

The Railways have filed a first information report in connection with the incident at the Kolaghat police station.

West Bengal Home Secretary Samar Ghosh and Director-General of Police Bhupinder Singh said the matter was being inquired into, though prima facie it appeared to be an accident.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Mamata complains of chest pain, advised rest

Copyright © 2010, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu