Three more killed in two districts of Bengal, BJP and TMC blame each other

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Updated: Jun 11, 2019 21:19 IST

Even as the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya janata party (BJP) continued to blame each other over the Basirhat violence in Bengal, three more people were killed in two districts since Monday night.

Two of the persons were killed in Bhatpara in North 24 Parganas district when crude bombs were hurled at them while one was clobbered to death in Galsi of East Burdwan district.

“They (BJP) have killed two of our men in Bhatpara and one in Galsi last night,” chief minister Mamata Banerjee said on Tuesday.

On Monday night, Mohammad Halim was killed on the spot and Mukhtar Ahmed succumbed to his injuries in a hospital after they were hit by bombs in Bhatpara area, which witnessed unchecked clashes between the BJP and the TMC for almost five days after the Lok Sabha results were declared.

“Our men were killed. Armed goons patronised by (newly-elected Barrackpore Lok Sabha MP) Arjun Singh hurled bombs,” alleged minister and North 24 Parganas district TMC president Jyoti Priya Mallick.

BJP leader Ahindra Bose trashed the allegation and said, “The goons are backed by the TMC. If the police conduct investigation properly, the truth will emerge.”

“We have started investigation into the incident and can comment only when it’s over,” said D P Singh, Commissioner of Barrackpore Police.

Also read: ‘Bengal not a toy, can’t play with it’: Mamata hammers BJP at statue event

In Galsi, about 126 km from Kolkata, Jaideb Roy was clobbered to death when he was returning home. He succumbed to his injuries in a hospital on Tuesday morning. Two party supporters who rushed to Roy’s rescue, were also injured and were admitted to hospital.

Jaideb Roy’s wife Pampa said that miscreants attacked him when he was returning home from a railway station.

“It’s planned murder. BJP-backed goons killed Jaideb. He worked for our party in the election,” alleged Gour Chandra Mandal, TMC leader in Galsi. Countering Mandal, BJP East Burdwan district president Sandeep Nandi said, “It is not a political murder, but TMC is blaming us.”

Three persons were detained for questioning by the police in Galsi.

Adding a fresh twist to the Basirhat violence in which three persons -- two supporters of the BJP and one of TMC -- were killed on June 8, the chief minister said the administration has to find out whether the BJP workers killed in Basirhat fell to bullets fired by their own men.

“Those BJP supporters who were killed went to murder Kayum Mollah (a TMC supporter). But it has to be found out whether they fell to their own bullets or were shot by someone else,” Banerjee said while speaking at a function.

While Pradip Mondal and Sukanta Mondal, who were killed, were BJP workers, Kayum Mollah was a TMC supporter.

Also read: Violence continues in Bengal as police and BJP workers clash over funeral

BJP leader Mukul Roy lashed out at the chief minister after he visited the families of the two slain party supporters in Basirhat.

“An FIR has to be registered against Mamata Banerjee herself since she has been instigating violence in the state. Actually there were no clashes here. They were attacked when they were sleeping at home,” said Mukul Roy after visiting the Mondals.

Roy also alleged both of them as well as Debdas Mondal, who is missing since the incident, were dragged out of their houses and taken some distance away to the pisciculture farms in the area and killed in the most brutal manner.

“Sheikh Shahjahan (TMC president of Sandeshkhali block I) led the attack,” alleged Roy.

“In their hurry to grab power, BJP leaders are saying whatever is coming to their mind. Their wish will never be fulfilled,” retorted Jyoti Priya Mallick reacting to Roy’s suggestion of FIR against the chief minister.

Also read: TMC-BJP tiff intensifies as MHA ‘advises’ to maintain law, order

On Monday night, police searched the residences of Shahjahan and Firoz Kamal Gazi alias Babu Master, a zilla parishad functionary and TMC leader of the area. Both Shahjahan and Babu Master were slapped with sections of the IPC related to murder and rioting.

Two FIRs were registered at Nazat police station. A missing diary was also lodged for Debdas Mondal. But the police did not arrest anyone till Tuesday afternoon although a total of 51 people were named in the two FIRs.

Political tussle between the BJP and the TMC has reached feverish pitch in the state following the Basirhat killings. While speculation rose about the possibility of President’s rule following meetings of Bengal governor Keshari Nath Tripathi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday, Mukul Roy asserted in Kolkata that the party did not intend to topple the TMC government at all.