Bengal BJP says Trinamool behind murder of party’s booth president near Kolkata

Party accuses state police of going soft on suspects for being linked to the ruling Trinamool Congress

A Bengal BJP worker was allegedly killed by members of the ruling Trinamool Congress in South 24 Parganas district this week, triggering demonstrations by the leaders of his party.

BJP president Amit Shah was in Bengal for a three-day tour. The body of the local leader who the party says was killed by suspects linked to the ruling Trinamool Congress was found on Monday, the first day of Shah’s visit. (Samir Jana/HT photo)

BJP booth president Soumitra Ghoshal, 26, was found dead late on Monday, hours after his party’s national president Amit Shah visited the state and asked workers to strike back if attacked by members of the ruling party.

Bengal’s politics has a history of vicious attacks among political rivals, with many leading to fatalities.

Sayantan Basu, the convener of BJP’s media management cell in Bengal, said the party filed a police complaint naming three Trinamool-backed local “hooligans”. “However, none of the three named in the FIR has been arrested so far,” Basu told Hindustan Times.

He alleged Ghoshal was first assaulted and then choked to death. “His body was later found tied to a pole,” he said.

The three named by the BJP are Soumen Sardar, Riju Sardar and Sourav Sardar.

Local Trinamool leader Shyamsundar Chakrabarty denied the involvement of party workers.

BJP’s Rajya Sabha member Roopa Ganguly started a sit-in-demonstration demanding the suspects be arrested and on Thursday, she accused local police of threatening her to leave the spot.

Basu alleged that since Ghoshal was successfully expanding BJP’s network in the area, local Trinamool leaders killed him.