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Updated: Aug 06, 2019 20:12 IST

Two Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders were killed in unrelated attacks in Bengal’s Malda and Murshidabad districts since Monday night.

In the first incident that took place at Majhra village in the Gazole area of Malda, Pradip Roy (32), a TMC booth unit president, was hacked to death allegedly by Bharatiya Janata Party workers when he was going to visit his in-laws at Ekandarpur village.

Roy’s family lodged a complaint at the Gazole police station, saying he was murdered by unidentified assailants. Roy was TMC’s booth president at Vivekananda Pally. The assailants blocked the path in front of his motorcycle and hacked him to death.

The police said Roy suffered multiple injuries on his head, chest and back. He was taken to the local rural hospital around 11 pm where doctors pronounced him dead.

Roy’s brother-in-law Goutam Roy said, “We suspect the BJP. Local BJP leaders were putting pressure on Pradip to defect. He was killed because he refused.”

Ranjit Biswas, a senior TMC leader and the husband of local MLA Dipali Biswas said, “We have requested the police to arrest the culprits as early as possible. Identities of the assailants are yet to be ascertained.”

BJP’s district president Gobindo Mondal said, “Our party does not believe in the politics of murder. An impartial probe will unearth the truth.”

Malda SP Alok Rajoria said, “We have learnt that the deceased had enmity with some local people. One person has been detained for questioning and raids are on.”

In the second incident, Jahangir Sheikh (48), a member of the TMC-run Kandi panchayat samity in Murshidabad was shot at on Monday night in Gosaidob village. He died at the Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) on Tuesday.

Sheikh was returning home on his motorcycle when he was shot in the abdomen from close range. He was taken to a nearby hospital in a critical condition.

Apurba Sarkar, a senior TMC leader in Kandi, said, “The Congress is trying to destroy peace in Kandi. Congress- backed criminals murdered Sheikh.”

District Congress spokesperson Jayanta Das dismissed the allegation.