Howrah murder gives BJP an edge on Trinamool turf

AMTA (HOWRAH): The suspected murder of Samatul Dolui at Sorpota in Howrah's Amta on Monday morning seems to have given BJP the leverage it was seeking in what was till recently a Trinamool stronghold. On Tuesday evening, as Dolui's body, draped in a BJP flag, reached Sorpota from Uluberia state general hospital, shouts of 'Jai Sri Ram' rent the air and residents of Chanulia blocked the main road that connects the area to National Highway 6 (almost 30km away).
Police watched as the mob rained blows on shutters of closed shops close to where Dolui's body was found. "It was certainly a political murder. For days now, a local Trinamool leader has been warning people against raising the 'Jai Sri Ram' slogan," one of Dolui's relatives said.

"There was a musical soiree at the Santoshi Ma puja in Sorpota on Sunday evening. Dolui had a cycle repair shop nearby. During the event, he got drunk and went around shouting 'Jai Sri Ram'. Was this a crime? Even after the murder, Trinamool workers have said that they have to 'take care' of some more people from the village. People like Dolui were with Trinamool but switched to BJPafter losing faith in the party. This doesn't mean that they have to be hurt or killed," the relative added.
Dolui's body was found near a pond in an empty field behind his shop around 10.30am on Monday. A 'gamchha' was tied tightly around his neck and there were burn marks on his arms. Villagers suspect the killers used burning empty liquor bottles to check whether Dolui was alive after strangulating him.
Trinamool, which has clearly taken a backseat in the happenings there, has denied the involvement of any of its workers in the crime.
Police confirmed the arrest of one Arjun Koley for his alleged involvement in the death though postmortem report was awaited. Koley was apparently accompanying Dolui on the morning of the murder. Koley is a Trinamool worker. "We have no faith in the administration and want a CBI probe. We are facing torture ever since my father joined BJP," Dolui's son Akash said.