38-yr-old killed outside Malda home; BJP says political murder, TMC claims property feud

The deceased, Samir Ghosh, was attacked by a group of men in the district’s Englishbazar area. His family and the BJP blamed the TMC for the murder.

A 38-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker was shot and hacked to death outside his home in West Bengal’s Malda district on Wednesday night, sparking a fresh political row between the ruling party and the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).

One accused, a local resident Ranjan Ghosh, was arrested following overnight interrogation (Unsplash)

The deceased, Samir Ghosh, was attacked by a group of men in the district’s Englishbazar area. His family and the BJP blamed the TMC for the murder.

“Eight suspects have been named in the police complaint. One accused, a local resident Ranjan Ghosh, was arrested following overnight interrogation,” a Malda district police officer said on condition of anonymity.

Samir’s brother, Bibek Ghosh, claimed the murder was linked to politics. “My brother was targeted because he worked for the BJP. He rarely stepped out due to security fears and was alone during the attack. The assailants are TMC workers,” Bibek said.

BJP’s Englishbazar legislator Amlan Bhaduri made the same allegation. “Samir Ghosh was targeted because he was a dedicated BJP worker,” Bhaduri said.

The TMC has denied any involvement, claiming the murder was the result of a long-standing family property dispute.

“Let there be an investigation. We want the guilty to be punished, but the crime was not related to politics at all. There was an old property dispute,” a local TMC leader Biswajit Ghosh, said.