A 55-year-old CPI(M) supporter was killed allegedly by a BJP panchayat pradhan in Tripura’s Khowai district, police said on Sunday.
The incident took place when CPI(M) supporter Dilip Sukla Das, in an inebriated state, engaged in a quarrel with Dwarikapur gram panchayat pradhan Krishna Kamal Das on Saturday evening over alleged non-allotment of PMAY housing and other government benefits to him, a senior police officer said.
“During the argument, the gram panchayat pradhan allegedly lost his cool and hit the CPI(M) supporter on the head with a blunt object. He fell down and started bleeding profusely.
“He was first taken to Khowai district hospital with serious head injuries, and was later referred to GBP Hospital in Agartala, where he succumbed to his injuries on Sunday morning,” Teliamura Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Prasun Tripura told PTI over the phone.
A police complaint was registered and the accused was arrested, he said.
The CPI(M), however, alleged that the BJP panchayat pradhan and his driver murdered the CPI(M) supporter who had worked hard for the party in the recently concluded assembly polls.
“The BJP, fearing impending defeat, has unleashed a reign of terror across the state like it did in the last five years. The CPI(M) supporter’s murder is testimony to that fact. People have already given the mandate to end the fascist rule in Tripura,” senior CPI(M) leader Ratan Das told reporters.
Police prevented CPI(M) workers from taking the body to the party headquarters, claiming that it could lead to the worsening of the law and order situation, but later allowed the mortal remains to be taken to Circuit House for offering of floral tributes.
Leader of Opposition Manik Sarkar and CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury said it was unfortunate that the police prevented the party workers from taking the body to the party headquarters for paying their last tributes.
“There might be political pressure on the police to act in such a manner,” Sarkar told reporters.
A Left Front team headed by its convener Narayan Kar submitted a memorandum to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Gitte Kirankumar Dinakarrao on Saturday, seeking his intervention to stop incidents of violence in the northeastern state.
BJP’s Khowai district president and MLA Pinaki Das Chowdhury said that the death of the CPI(M) leader was unfortunate but it was “not politically motivated in any way”.
“The accused was arrested and an investigation is underway. I condemn those trying to politicise the death to create tension,” he said.
BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharjee alleged that the CPI(M) and the Congress were unleashing terror in parts of the state after peaceful polling.
“We are closely monitoring the situation and are capable of handling it,” he added.
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