The scourge of political violence continues unabated in West Bengal. In yet another shocking incident, a BJP worker in Bengal’s Cooch Behar was beaten to death in a clash between members of two community clubs over continuing Kali Puja celebration.
The deceased, Kalachand Karmokar, was a polling booth level secretary of the BJP. The party has alleged that Karmokar was killed by goons shielded by the ruling dispensation Trinamool Congress.
“Trinamool’s ‘murder politics’ continues in West Bengal! In Coochbehar, BJP booth secretary Kalachand Karmokar was brutally beaten to death by TMC goons. Pishi, you cannot expect people of Bengal to support your politics of blood and terror. Enough. Start counting your days!” the official Twitter account of BJP Bengal tweeted.
Trinamool’s ‘murder politics’ continues in West Bengal! In Coochbehar, BJP booth secretary Kalachand Karmokar was brutally beaten to death by TMC goons.
— BJP Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) November 18, 2020
Pishi, you cannot expect people of Bengal to support your politics of blood and terror. Enough. Start counting your days! pic.twitter.com/fN2DLybI3J
BJP’s Cooch Behar unit president alleges TMC hand in the worker’s death
Malati Rava Ray, president of the BJP’s Cooch Behar district unit, has alleged that assailants who enjoyed protection from the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government were responsible for the gruesome murder of the BJP worker.
“Two local residents, Biplab Karmakar and Parimal Burman were injured when they tried to save the BJP worker. They are admitted in Tufanganj hospital. Our workers are being targeted regularly,” said Ray. The deceased Kalachand Karmokar breathed his last on Wednesday morning.
The incident took place at East Shikarpur near Nakkatigach area under Toofanganj police station as a quarrel broke out between the members from two different clubs over continuing Kali Puja celebration.
One person has been arrested in connection with the incident so far.
The TMC district general secretary, Abdul Jalil Ahmed refuted the involvement of TMC in the incident, saying that the clashes had nothing to do with the politics.
Political murders in West Bengal continues unabated
This is not the first time that a BJP worker has become a victim of political violence in West Bengal. A couple of months ago, a BJP worker named Rabin Paul was lynched to death in the Pathar Ghata village in Kalna in West Bengal.
In his dying testimony, Rabin Paul said, “Tara lok bol niya merecha… Jara 100 din er kaaj koraccha.(They assaulted me in large numbers. Those who were doing the 100-day work (referring to MNREGA))” On being asked to name anyone specific by the reporter, the victim in his dying moments recounted, “Tara party er lok… TMC party er (They are party workers.. TMC workers).”
Earlier this year, BJP’s sitting MLA in Uttar Dinajpur district, Debendranath Roy was found hanging at a shop near his home.
The state has also seen mysterious deaths of BJP workers held in police custody. Earlier in August, miscreants robbed two businessmen of around a lac rupees on National Highway-34 at Ghughudanga in Raiganj in West Bengal. The police had initially arrested four people in connection to the incident. However, on August 2, a BJP worker named Anup Kumar Roy was brought to the Raignaj police station for interrogation. According to the police officials, the BJP worker had fallen ill during his time at the police station. He was then rushed to the Raiganj Medical College and Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.