TMC claims body of its panchayat member found in Hooghly, BJP denies involvement

Kolkata: The body of a man was found in Hooghly district on Sunday, with the TMC claiming that he was a party panchayat member and alleging that the number of post-poll violence deaths of its workers in West Bengal went up to six.

Sharing a picture of a blood-splattered body on its social media site, the TMC claimed the deceased was Sahadeb Bag, a member of Nokunda gram panchayat under Goghat 1 block.

A police officer said Bag's body was found lying in the field on Sunday morning, and it was being investigated whether he had personal enmity with anyone and if there was any business rivalry with regard to tenders for projects.

"Based on the complaint lodged by his family, we are investigating all angles, including political aspects," he said.

The Goghat unit of the BJP said none of its workers was involved, and Bag was either killed due to personal enmity or by his own rival party faction.

TMC National general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, in a separate post on social media, claimed over 60 shops were set on fire by "BJP-backed miscreants" at Khejuri in Purba Medinipur, terming it as "barbaric".

A Purba Medinipur police officer said that forces went to the area and fire brigade personnel doused the flames that broke out on Saturday night.

"We are investigating the incident," the police officer said.

"5+1 (today) - 6 killings till now," the TMC claimed.

The TMC claimed that other deceased party members were Tapas Naskar in Entally area of the city, Abir Sheikh of Nanoor in Birbhum, Biswajit Pattanaik in Beleghata area of the city, Pinku Debnath of Purbasthali Dakshin in Purba Bardhaman district, and Mithun Samanta of Kulpi in South 24 Parganas district.

About the TMC claim regarding six post-poll deaths of its workers, the police officer said three deaths – one of Abir Sheikh and two of BJP workers Madhu Mondal and Jadav Kar – were related to post-poll attacks.

The other deaths were not confirmed as post-poll murders, the police officer said.

Banerjee alleged arson by the BJP at shops and properties owned by party workers at TMC stronghold Khejuri in Purba Medinipur close to the assembly seat of Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

Attaching photos, Banerjee said, "Is this how you plan to drive 'Bhoi' out? By setting Bengal on fire?" PTI, however, could not independently verify the authenticity of the photos.

He referred to the 'Bhoy Noy Bhorsa' (no fear any more but faith and trust) campaign of the BJP in the polls.

Banerjee wrote, "What unfolded in Khejuri's Nichkasba GP, Hijli Sharif is nothing short of barbaric." "Over 60 shops were torched by BJP-backed miscreants, destroying the livelihoods of innocent people overnight. Hindu-owned shops, Muslim-owned shops, it made no difference," he alleged.

"This was not an attack on any one community; it was a calculated assault on Bengal's social harmony, democratic fabric and the ordinary citizens who simply want to live in peace," the Diamond Harbour MP claimed.