Suvendu hits out at Mamata over Bengal’s law & order, cites murder list

Taking to Twitter, the senior BJP leader put out a list of "murders (mostly political)", that took place in the state last week, with Birbhum topping the chart with 13 killings.

Suvendu Adhikari, leader of Opposition in the Bengal Assembly, on Tuesday hit out at chief minister Mamata Banerjee over the deteriorating law and order in the state over the death of at least eight villagers following the murder of a Trinamool Congress leader in Birbhum district..

Earlier in the day, Adhikari had tweeted that law and order in West Bengal is on a rapid freefall. (PTI file photo)

Taking to Twitter, the senior BJP leader put out a list of "murders (mostly political)", that took place in the state last week, with Birbhum topping the chart with 13 killings.

“Last week while presenting the home budget of Bengal on the floor of the Assembly, hon'ble home minister of Mamata Banerjee was more interested in maligning LoP with false accusations rather than answering questions related to the deteriorating law and order situation of the state,” wrote Adhikari, a former aide-turned-rival of the Trinamool Congress supremo.

Later, while talking to reporters, he said the state’s law and order is in a grave state. “As many as 26 murders have taken place in the last one week in different parts of the state. The Centre should intervene and use Article 356 (President's Rule) or Article 355 of the Constitution to take the situation under their control in Bengal,” the BJP leader was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

A panchayat leader of the TMC, Bhadu Sheikh, was killed in a bomb attack in the Rampurhat area of Birbhum district on Monday evening. According to witnesses, Sheikh was attacked by four men on motorcycles who had their faces covered. Sheikh was declared dead on arrival at the hospital.

Soon after, at least eight people were killed after their houses were allegedly set ablaze at Bogtui village in Birbhum. According to locals, the houses were set afire by members of rival TMC factions.

Earlier in the day, Adhikari had tweeted that law and order in West Bengal is on a rapid freefall.

“Tension and terror have gripped Rampurhat area of Birbhum district, after a panchayat upoprodhan (deputy chief); Bhadu Sheik was reportedly killed last evening in a bomb attack. The angry mob ransacked and set afire several houses afterwards. The nightlong barbarity has led to the death of at least 12 people till now; mostly women. Charred bodies are being recovered as of now,” Adhikari said.

Governor Jagdeep Dhankar has sought an urgent update on the incident from the chief secretary.