Three political workers, including two from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and one from the Trinamool Congress, were killed in a clash between the supporters of the two parties in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, the police said on Saturday.
"Three political workers - two of them from the BJP and another from Trinamool - were killed," said a police officer.
State BJP General Secretary Sayantan Basu claimed three of its leaders - Pradip Mondal, Tapan Mondal and Sukanta Mondal - were killed and five other functionaries injured in the clash.
BJP state General Secretary (organisaiton) Subrata Chattopadhyay said a fourth BJP worker Debdas Mondal also died of bullet injury, while 18 other villagers were missing.
The Trinamool said while its worker Qayum Mollah was stabbed to death, two others were thrown into the water.
According to the BJP leaders, the clash erupted after Trinamool workers allegedly removed the saffron party's flagsin Sandeshkhali area, while local Trinamool leaders accused the BJP workers of defacing their flags.
"During a booth level meeting of our workers in Hatgachhi, some miscreants, backed by the BJP, attacked them. Qayum Mollah, a 26-year-old Trinamool worker, was taken out of the party office and stabbed to death," state Minister and Trinamool's district President Jyotipriya Mallick claimed.
"Two other workers were thrown into the river. Eighteen Trinamool workers, including six women, are injured, he said.
Union minister and BJP leader Babul Supriyo in a tweet said he was 'deeply disturbed' about the murders of BJP functionaries.
"The people of West Bengal will very soon put an end to TMC's atrocities," said Supriyo.
BJP leader Mukul Roy held Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee "directly responsible" for "unelashing violence against the BJP workers".
He said Union Home Minister Amit Shah would be apprised of the Sandeshkhali killings.
-- IANS
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