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Allegations of fresh poll-related violence in newer pockets in West Bengal
A BJP worker and a TMC worker were found dead in separate incidents in West Bengal’s East Burdwan and South 24 Parganas districts, respectively, on Thursday
Allegations of fresh poll-related violence have been reported from newer areas in West Bengal even as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker and a Trinamool Congress (TMC) worker were found dead in separate incidents in East Burdwan and South 24 Parganas districts, respectively, on Thursday.
At Monteswar in East Burdwan, BJP worker Abhijit Roy was found dead in a cowshed adjacent to his house on Wednesday morning. He had been missing since the previous night.
While the BJP alleged that TMC goons murdered him and hung his body to make it appear like suicide, the TMC refuted the charges claiming Das might have died by suicide because of family problems.
“We are in touch with Das’ family and providing them with all help. We will see the end of it. Every time a BJP worker is killed the TMC says it is a suicide,” Sukanta Majumdar, BJP state president told media.
A clash had broken out between the TMC and the BJP in Monteswar, which falls under Bardhaman-Durgapur Lok Sabha constituency even on the polling day on May 13. The BJP MP and party’s candidate was heckled allegedly by TMC goons, and his convoy was attacked.
Meanwhile, a TMC worker’s body was found at Gosaba in South 24 Parganas on Wednesday. He was found hanging. While TMC alleged he was murdered by BJP, the latter claimed that it could be the fallout of the factional feuds within the ruling party ahead of the elections. Elections in all the Lok Sabha seats in South 24 Parganas are scheduled in the last phase on June 1.
Meanwhile, reports of clashes also poured in from many pockets such as Diamond Harbour, Joynagar, Shashan and Kultali – all in South 24 Parganas.
At Pujali in Diamond Harbour, a BJP worker was beaten up allegedly with revolver butt, the party’s candidate Abhijit Das said. A clash broke out between the Indian Secular Front (ISF) and TMC at Shashan.
Lone ISF legislator in the state legislative assembly Nawsad Siddique rushed to the spot and engaged in a heated altercation with police.
“Police remained a mute spectator even as TMC workers attacked us,” ISF leader Sheikh Nazimuddin told media persons.
“ISF leaders have been abusing women. The local people resisted them,” Rezaul Karim, local TMC leader, told the media.
At Joynagar, at least three persons were injured when a clash broke out between the BJP and TMC over placement of loudspeakers. Police arrested two people.
Elections have already been held in 18 out of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal in four phases. Polling in the remaining 24 seats would be held in the remaining three phases.
