3 dead as violence erupts across Bengal districts

JALPAIGURI: Two Trinamool Congress workers and a BJP supporter were killed since Tuesday night as political clashes were reported from across the state.
Trinamool worker Sahinur Rahman (33), who left home following a call on Tuesday night, was found trussed up and dead at Chilakhana in Natabari, Cooch Behar, on Wednesday, said party leader and former minister Rabindranath Ghosh.
The leader accused BJP of murder, a charge denied by the latter. Police are scanning Rahman’s call records for a headway in the case.
At Mathura in Alipurduar, Trinamool booth worker Dipak Roy was attacked with sharp weapons when he was on his way home from a wedding on Tuesday night.
Roy was rushed to a primary health centre, but didn’t survive. One person has been arrested and the body sent for autopsy.
Senior police officers, including additional SP Amlan Ghosh, inspected the crime scene.
Trinamool district president Mridul Goswami sniffed BJP role in the murder.
BJP district president Ganga Prasad Sharma rubbished the allegation.
Bankura BJP worker Arup Ruidas (28), who went missing on Tuesday evening, was found dead with a noose around his neck in Khandoghosh, East Burdwan, on Wednesday morning.
Ruidas had worked as a booth agent in Indus constituency. Police have sent the body for autopsy.
The BJP staged a protest in Khejuri, East Midnapore, on Wednesday after a mahila morcha worker was allegedly sexually assaulted on Tuesday.
The party also claimed an attempt to murder.
Police said the woman, who is in hospital, had not lodged a rape complaint. Trinamool called the allegations “bogus”.
Malda’s Englishbazaar remained tense on Wednesday. Houses of some Trinamool workers were allegedly ransacked by BJP supporters on Tuesday evening, and that triggered clashes, prompting police intervention.
TMC leader Prosenjit Das said: “Our workers did not vote for BJP despite pressure. So, BJP goons attacked them.” BJP district president Gobinda Mandal junked the allegations and said: “The TMC could not win Englishbazaar and is now acting with vengeance.”
Raja Khan, a Trinamool leader at Salanpur in West Burdwan, was arrested following an assault complaint.
Some youth wing leaders of the party, led by father of the accused, tried to free him, spurring a scuffle with police.
A cop sustained minor injuries, but managed to keep Raja in custody. Two persons — Bura khan and Vishal Shaw — have been arrested in connection with the clash.