Three persons were arrested on Saturday in connection with an attack on the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters here the previous day, police said.
A senior police officer said Santosh Rajwa, one of the key accused, along with two of his accomplices, was arrested for allegedly smearing black paint on photos of Rahul Gandhi, defacing and tearing placards and festoons, and threatening those present at the scene.
"The three were also involved in burning tyres outside the office on CIT Road and attempting to storm the premises, along with other supporters," a police officer said.
Meanwhile, police are searching for the main accused, local Bharatiya Janata Party leader Rakesh Singh, and others named in the complaint by the Congress.
"We are continuing our investigation and efforts to apprehend Singh and others," the official added.
The agitators, allegedly led by Singh, a Congress turncoat, carried out the attack in protest against defamatory comments made about Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Rahul Gandhi's 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar.
In a Facebook video post, Singh defended his actions of protesting against what he called "distasteful comments" made against Modi.
"I blackened Rahul Gandhi's photo in full public view and did live streaming of the act. I am not afraid or ashamed of it. Mamata Banerjee's police cannot do anything to me," he was heard telling.
In response to the attack on Gandhi’s image, Congress supporters organised a protest near the BJP state office at Muralidhar Sen Lane, close to Mohammed Ali Park. It was led by state Congress president Subhankar Sarkar.
As BJP supporters assembled in large numbers before their office, police set up barricades to prevent clashes between the two groups.
In a separate protest, Congress supporters blocked Hazra Crossing for half-an-hour in the afternoon, voicing their anger over the act.
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said while the emotion and anger of Bharatiya Janata Party supporters over the comments is justified, "the party does not approve any act to carry an attack on the office of another party." "I think our party state president Samik Bhattacharya and Union minister Sukanta Majumdar have already articulated our stand," he added.
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