SURI (Birbhum): A missing BJP supporter was found dead on Tuesday in Dubrajpur of Birbhum district, leaving the region tense amid an exchange of accusations by BJP and Trinamool Congress.
Pratihar Dome, 37, was said to have been called out from his home in Fakirberia village on Monday night. He did not return. On Tuesday morning, his body was found by the side of a pond in neighboring Jhowdanga village.
Police, who arranged an ambulance to ferry the body for post-mortem examination, faced resistance from villagers, who held back the vehicle as it did not have a number plate. Some BJP leaders reached the spot to join the agitation.
When a police team arrived to retrieve Pratihar’s body, a clash erupted between villagers and police. Brickbats were hurled at police, who exercised restraint. Until late evening, villagers had refused to let go of the body before the culprit was arrested. A police picket has been set up on site.
Pratihar’s wife Jayashree, who was taken to the police station to be asked about the mysterious death, returned to allege that her husband had been called out by Dulal Dome, a BJP booth president for Loba gram panchayat booth.
BJP supporters alleged that police manipulated Jayashree to implicate their booth president. “He has been murdered the way BJP supporters are being killed in the rest of Bengal. Police, at the behest of ruling party, are trying to change the course of investigation,” said BJP Birbhum president Dhruba Saha.
Dubrajpur’s Trinamool leader Bhola Mitra said: “Trinamool Congress has no connection with the unfortunate death. He must have been a victim of BJP’s internal conflict. Police must probe and arrest the culprit”
Jayashree told media that Pratihar’s death had nothing to do with politics. But the rest of Pratihar’s family members said he was murdered because of his active association with BJP.
Police superintendent Meeraj Khalid said: “On the basis of the complaint of the deceased’s wife, we have detained a person. The post-mortem report will also unravel the mystery of the death to some extent.”