The victim’s family also suspected the involvement of BJP workers.A Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader of East Midnapore district was attacked with sharp weapons that led to his death late on Monday night.
The Trinamool Congress blamed BJP for the “murder”, which the saffron party denied, saying it was outcome of his feud with some villagers from whom he had “taken money promising favours”.
The TMC supporters also blocked Moyna-Balaipanda highway on Tuesday, demanding strict actions against the culprits.
As per police, Basudeb Mondal (52), a former pradhan of Bakcha village panchayat, was attacked by sharp weapons while he was returning from his daughter’s house.
Police said primary investigation has revealed that he had stepped out of his house around 8 am. Local residents saw him lying in a pool of blood late in the night and informed the police.
As per police, Mondal had multiple injuries on his head, legs and knees. Police took him to Moyna Block Primary Hospital around 1 am when he was declared brought dead.
“Prima facie, he had multiple injuries on his body and it seems excessive blood loss caused the death. A case has been initiated and an investigation is underway,” said an officer.
Meanwhile, TMC MP from Tamluk, Dibyendu Adhikari, accused the BJP of disturbing peace in the area.
“It is clearly a conspiracy of the BJP. They have mastered the art of gruesome politics,” Adhikari said.
The victim’s family also suspected the involvement of BJP workers.
“My father was with the TMC and he was a former panchayat pradhan. There is a possibility that the BJP conspired and murdered him, but the police have to find that out,” said Anup, his son.
A local TMC leader said Mondal had created an anti-BJP environment in the area, which had angered the party. “Basudeb had gone on a vacation in Puri. The BJP had conspired to kill him there too,” said the local TMC leader.
The BJP denied the allegations.
“The BJP is not involved with the case. He had taken money from many people by assuring them favours. As far as the information that I have received, some villagers went to take their money back from him and they got into a fight. Some had sharp weapons and attacked Basudeb. No one from our party has anything to do with the incident,” said local BJP leader Nabarun Nayak.
A huge contingent of police has been deployed in the area. According to police, raids are being conducted to identify the miscreants.
On October 7, Trinamool working president of Tamluk, Kurban Shah, was shot dead by five men inside the party office. Transport Minister Suvendu Adhikari had alleged that the killers were hired from Jharkhand and Kharagpur.