Kolkata/UNI/IBNS: In a shocking incident, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials were attacked, beaten up and forced to flee abandoning its raids by a section of activists from the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas.

The TMC activists reportedly have allegiance to Shahjahan Sheikh, a block level leader of Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas on Friday.

The ED, probing the alleged statutory ration distribution scam following a Calcutta High Court order, went early on Friday to raid the house of Shahjahan Sheikh at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas.

The ED officials, after finding the collapsible gates of the TMC leader's house locked from inside, tried to break it open.

Seeing the ED officials, who were escorted by the Central armed forces, were trying to break open the locks, the TMC activists immediately attacked the central investigation officials, who finally abandoned the raid for their safety.

The ED officials said they were safe and abandoned the raid for fear of being attacked.

The probe agency has been raiding the premises of two block-level leaders and their relatives since Friday morning, they said.

The ED had gone to Sandeshkhali in search of two premises of two block-level leaders Shahjahan Sheikh and Shankar Adhya, and their relatives.

The agency alleged their vehicles were damaged in the attacks.

The TMC activists did not spare the media persons, who went there to cover the raids.

Sources said cameras and mobile phones of the media persons were damaged in the attack.

Shahjahan is attached with the district fishery and animal husbandry executive, said to be a close associate of arrested Forest Minister
Jyotipriya Mallick, a former food minister.