Political violence continues in Bengal, two Trinamool activists killed at Bhatpara
KOLKATA: Post-poll violence claimed two more lives in West Bengal when two Trinamool activists were killed at Bhatpara in Barrackpore Lok Sabha constituency. Crude bombs were hurled late on Monday night killing two and injuring three others.
Mukhtar Ahmed (52) and Mohammad Halim (55) were injured when splinters in the bombs hit them. They were taken to a state-run hospital where doctors declared them dead. Police said the incident took place around 10 am when two groups clashed. They have arrested three persons, who are known to be BJP supporters.
While state food and supplies minister Jyotipriya Mullick accused the BJP of killing the two TMC supporters, state BJP president Dilip Ghosh described the incident as a fall out of the ruling party’s internal conflict.
Following the incident, a huge number of policemen, along with RAF personnel, have been deployed in the area.
CM Mamata Banerjee alleged 10 persons were killed in post-poll violence and eight of them were Trinamool supporters. Refuting the claim, senior BJP leader Mukul Roy alleged seven BJP supporters were killed by Trinamool men.
Roy visited Nazat area in Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency and met the families of two BJP workers, Sukanta Mandal and Pradip Mandal, who were allegedly killed by Trinamool supporters.
“Trinamool attacked our men after they came to know the BJP secured leads from 12 booths out of 22 in the area. We will demand that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conduct the probe into the incident. The place is close to Bangladesh and the ruling party’s cadres are smuggling arms from the neighbouring country,’’ Roy alleged.
The BJP leader said he had information that local Trinamool functionary Sheikh Shahjahan, the alleged mastermind of the attack, fled to Bangladesh.
Tight security ring around Lalbazar
Taking a lesson from the BJP’s roadshow followed by sporadic clashes, a tight security ring will be thrown around Lalbazar in Kolkata on Wednesday anticipating a large-scale agitation by BJP supporters during their march to the city police headquarters to protest the killing of two party workers in Sandeshkhali, North 24-Parganas’s Basirhat.
Barricades will be put up on four arterial thoroughfares leading to the police headquarters.
“Besides, water cannons and tear gas shells will be in place to disperse BJP supporters if they try to break the barricades. The small lanes leading to the main roads will also be kept under strict vigil,’’ said additional commissioner of police (I) Jawed Shamim.
‘‘We will place the barricades on all the major roads at least 500 metres from the police headquarters. A strong contingent of more than 5,000 police personnel will be deployed,’’ said a police officer
BJP workers killed
The BJP claimed that on Monday night a supporter was strangled to death allegedly for chanting “Jai Shri Ram” by Trinamool workers in Howrah.
Police confirmed the death of 43-year-old Samatul Doloi but were tight-lipped about the cause of death