The state Election Commission forced a section of intellectuals to stall a press conference at the Kolkata Press Club on Saturday, after it perceived the conference to be an election campaign for the Trinamool Congress. Agitated, the intellectuals staged a sit-in demonstration against the EC’s diktat.

Painter Subhaprasanna, Jogen Choudhuri, Samir Aich, theatre activist Bratya Basu, Saoli Mitra and educationist Sunanda Sanyal were among those attending the conference, which they claim to have called to express their views on Friday’s train carnage.

“I feel the ruling CPM was a beneficiary (of the train carnage) because Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee was in trouble following the incident. I suspect the CPM was involved in the crime,” said Debabrata Banerjee.

Saoli Mitra added: “When the Maoists denied that they were not involved in the incident, why are they being labelled. This is a clear case of sabotage.”