Another Bengal BJP leader found hanging, CID probe ordered, NHRC seeks report

KOLKATA: Days, after 18-year-old BJP leader Trilochan Mahato was found hanging by a tree in Balarampur in West Bengal’s Purulia district with a poster, stuck on his back blaming his association with the saffron party for his death, another BJP worker was found hanging by a high-tension power transmission tower in the same area on Saturday morning.

Local BJP worker Dulal Kumar (30), a shopkeeper and resident of Dava village of Balarampur, was found hanging by the high-tension tower after going missing on Friday night. The deceased BJP worker’s
kin claimed that he returned home after attending BJP’s ‘police station gherao’ programme on Friday evening and went out again at night for some personal work. When he did not return till late in the night, a search was launched and his motorbike was found near a local pond. The deceased’s kin claimed that calls to his mobile phone were repeatedly cut.

The deaths gain significance as BJP has swept all the Gram Panchayats in Balarampur in the recently-concluded panchayat elections. After the two killings in the same area, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought a detailed report from the state government within four weeks’ time.

On the other hand, the state government has handed over the case to the state Crime Investigation Department (CID). Additional Director General of Police (law and order) Anuj Sharma stated a CID probe
has been launched to investigate the cause of death and whether outsiders from neighbouring state Jharkhand were involved.

Meanwhile, BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha demanded CBI probe into the death. “Trinamool Congress has lost ground in Purulia which is why they are using Maoists active in the area to kill our workers. We demand CBI inquiry into the killings,” he said.

TMC MP Derek o’ Brien said that role of Bajrang Dal, Maoists or BJP will also be probed. “We strongly condemn this despicable killing. All angles must be probed. The perpetrators of this heinous act must be punished. What role did Jharkhand border have to play? What elements of Bajrang Dal, Maoist or BJP involved. Let the truth be found out through proper investigation,” he tweeted.

On the other hand, BJP leader Mukul Roy has rushed to the crime spot at Balarampur. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew and Diamond Harbour MP also visited Purulia and told TMC workers to buck up and regain lost ground.