KOLKATA: A BJP supporter died when a pitched battle broke out between the police and the workers of the saffron party during a march to the mini secretariat building in Siliguri in north Bengal.
The BJP alleged that the deceased, identified as Ulen Roy, was thrashed by police during the lathicharge.
BJP state president Dilip Ghosh claimed that the police rained batons ruthlessly on the protesting party workers. "The protest march was organised by the youth wing of our party. Workers of Yuva Morcha were heading towards the administrative building. The police became furious without any provocation and resorted to lathicharge leading to the death of one of our workers. He was taken to a local hospital where doctors declared him dead," said Ghosh.
The trouble broke out when thousands of BJP workers removed the barricades put up by the police and set them ablaze, and pelted stones while heading towards the mini secretariat building.
Heavy police arrangements were made as the party announced the programme a week ago and senior party leaders, including Ghosh and Bengal observer Kailash Vijayvargiya, reached Siliguri. As the water cannons failed to restrain BJP workers, police lobbed tear gas shells.
Police, however, refuted the allegation of lathicharge.
"Today, supporters of a political party resorted to violence during their protest march in Siliguri. They resorted to arson, brick-batting, firing, and vandalism of govt property. Police showed restraint and didn’t resort to lathicharge or firing. Only water cannons and tear gas were used to disperse the violent crowd. However, the death of a person has been reported. The body is being sent for the post mortem following which the actual cause of death will be known," said a police officer.
Meanwhile, the BJP called a 12-hour bandh in north Bengal in protest against Roy's death.