Bengal: TMC worker found dead in West Medinipur, party points finger at BJP

Police said that Bhunia’s body was recovered from a roadside bush near his home on Monday morning and later identified by his family.

“There were multiple injury marks on his body. It is too early to ascertain the motive of the murder. It could be political rivalry or even personal enmity. Investigation is underway,” said a senior police officer involved with the investigation.

The TMC, however, blamed the BJP for the murder and destroying peace in the area.

“He was called by a group of people, all BJP-backed goons, and taken to an isolated place where he was beaten to death. His bike was also found lying near his body. The BJP is taking people, greedy for power, under its fold and executing the killings for gaining strength in the area,” TMC’s West Medinipur unit leader Ajit Maity said.

Denying the allegations, the BJP claimed that Bhunia was killed in a factional feud of the TMC.

“The incident is unfortunate, but the BJP has no connection with the case. Even a child in that area knows that the BJP isn’t strong enough here. He (Bhunia) used to extort money and as far as we know there was a fight between two groups over their share. He was murdered by his rival faction of the TMC. They are taking the BJP’s name to malign our image,” said BJP district president Samit Kumar Das.

TMC local leaders have filed a complaint of murder with police.

Bhunia’s relatives also suspected that he was killed by the BJP supporters. “He was a dedicated Trinamool worker. The BJP people were after him for long and finally killed him,” a relative of Bhunia said on the condition of anonymity.

Last week, nearly 50 people were injured in a clash between two groups, allegedly supporters of BJP and TMC, in Keshpur area West Medinipur. BJP state president and MP Dilip Ghosh said it is unfortunate but the TMC are creating violence everywhere. “In Keshpur 50 of our people had got injured. They are playing this dirty politics.”

On Saturday night, a BJP worker was shot in Jhargram. BJP district president Sukhmoy Satpathi said some Maoists, who have joined the TMC, are trying to do a politics of murder and hooliganism. “They have understood that they have lost support from common people,” said Satpathi.

However, a local TMC leader, who didn’t want to be named, said the party wasn’t involved. “It’s a fallout of an old rivalry and police will eventually reveal the truth”. On Saturday, a TMC leader was shot dead at Bandel railway station in Hooghly district in broad daylight.

Political violence continues to rock Bengal since the Lok Sabha polls result with murders and sporadic incidents of clash, including hurling of bombs and stone pelting, being reported almost daily. The ruling TMC and the BJP, which has won 18 Lok Sabha seats in the state, are accusing each other of leashing violence.