BJP worker found hanging in Bengal

Kolkata, DHNS: A BJP worker was found hanging in the Labpur Assembly constituency area in West Bengal's Birbhum district late on Sunday evening.

The family members of the deceased Taposh Bagdi (36) claimed that he was murdered by the ruling Trinamool Congress' (TMC) cadres. The local TMC leadership denied the allegation. The incident took place in the Dwarka village of Labpur.

"I suspect that he was murdered by the people of Mamata Banerjee's party because he was a BJP worker. Why should he commit suicide suddenly?" said Bagdi's wife Samapti.

She said Bagdi's body was found hanging from a tree near the banks of the nearby Dwarka River.

Samapti also claimed Bagdi had got into a scuffle with TMC cadres about a week ago.

Birbhum Superintendent of Police Kunal Aharwal told DH that "prima facie it seems to be case of suicide. A complaint has been lodged and the investigation is going on."

The incident has initiated a verbal spat between the BJP and TMC leaderships.

Terming the incident a "political murder", state BJP president Dilip Ghosh said "one of our party workers was murdered on Sunday. He was found hanging from a tree. The incident is very similar to the one in Purulia and is part of a conspiracy to eliminate Opposition party workers in West Bengal."

The bodies of two BJP workers were found hanging in Purulia in May.

Ghosh also said he "suspects that Mr Bagdi was murdered by TMC cadres. The truth will come out only if a impartial investigation is conducted."

Denying the allegations, Birbhum TMC district president Anubrata Mondal said, "he committed suicide. Everything will be clear once the post-mortem report comes. He hung himself on Sunday and the next day the BJP is making baseless allegations."

In July, a BJP worker was allegedly murdered by TMC cadres in Murshidabad district.

The deaths in May and July had drawn strong reaction from BJP president Amit Shah, who accused the TMC of making West Bengal "an epitome of violence and brutality".