West Bengal BJP calls 12-hour bandh after youth’s death

In Malda and Cooch Behar, the party workers blocked the state and national highways. There were also reports of vehicles being damaged, including public transport buses and shops shut down

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called for a 12-hour bandh on Friday in North Bengal to protest the death of 33-year-old Mrityunjay Barman and police brutality in the state.

In Malda and Cooch Behar, the party workers blocked the state and national highways (File Photo)

Barman, the nephew of a panchayat-level BJP leader, was allegedly shot dead by the police in Kaliaganj in West Bengal’s Uttar Dinajpur district. Family members, locals and BJP leaders have alleged that Barman was shot dead by the police late Thursday night.

Locals alleged that the police went to the village to conduct raids after an irate mob attacked policemen and set barracks ablaze inside the Kaliaganj police station on Tuesday.

Since early Friday morning, BJP leaders and workers were seen hitting the streets and organising rallies to ensure that the bandh was a success.

In Malda and Cooch Behar, the party workers blocked the state and national highways. There were also reports of vehicles being damaged, including public transport buses and shops shut down.

In Uttar Dinajpur district, shops and markets remained closed and very few vehicles could be seen on the roads. In the Darjeeling hills, however, the bandh didn’t have any apparent effect.

“I am in touch with the district-level leaders. The bandh is successful,” Sukanta Majumdar, BJP state president told the media at Balurghat in Dakshin Dinajpur.

Following the incident, the BJP lashed out at the ruling- Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, demanding chief minister Mamata Banerjee take responsibility for the police action.

“Mamata’ police brutally killed a Rajbangshi young man of 33 years at Kaliaganj,” leader of the opposition Suvendu Adhikari wrote on Twitter.

Meanwhile, TMC workers also hit the streets opposing the bandh while large police contingents were deployed to evade violence.

On Thursday early morning police went to look for a panchayat-level BJP leader.

Allegations surfaced that when the cops didn’t find him they dragged out his father and son-in-law. When Mrityunjay, a family member, protested he was allegedly shot dead.

Top police officers, including Ajoy Kumar, inspector general of police (IGP), North Bengal, and superintendent of police (SP), Raiganj, Sana Akhtar, did not respond to multiple phone calls and text messages for comment.

The chief minister’s office, too, had not issued any statement until late Thursday evening.

Kaliaganj has remained tense since the death of the 17-year-old girl, who had gone missing on April 20. The incident triggered widespread protests and violence and on April 25, a mob clashed with the police outside the Kaliaganj police station, injuring at least 17 personnel.

Calcutta high court on Thursday sought a detailed report of the investigation conducted by the police by May 2 in the case pertaining to the alleged rape and murder of the minor while hearing a petition seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe.