Bengal BJP calls 12-hour bandh after youth’s death

The BJP in Bengal has called a 12-hour bandh in north Bengal on Friday, after its leaders claimed that one youth died at the hands of the police in Kaliaganj in Uttar Dinajpur district – where violent mob had protested on Tuesday, following the alleged rape and death of a minor girl.

BJP Bengal president Sukanta Majumdar, called for the bandh to register a protest against heinous acts against women in north Bengal, and the (alleged) high-handedness of police. Essential services have been kept out of the purview of the bandh.

Also Read | West Bengal civic police volunteer, injured in Kaliaganj violence, dies in hospital

In a tweet on Thursday morning, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari alleged that police had shot a young man in Kaliaganj. “Trigger happy 'Mamata' police raided the house of a BJP Panchayet Samiti Member Bishnu Barman at 2:30 am midnight (April 27; 2023) but did not find him. They brutally shot dead a Rajbangshi young man named Mrityunjay Barman; 33 years old, S/O Rabindranath Barman…,” Adhikari stated in his tweet.

However, an official response from police is awaited. The police investigation had continued in the region with raids at various locations.

On Wednesday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had stated in a press conference that while the unfortunate death of the minor girl will be probed, the violence would be investigated too. Banerjee had held the BJP responsible for the ‘hooliganism’, and had said that goons were brought in from Bihar.

Protesters – following the death of the minor girl – had torched parts of the local police station at Kaliaganj, and had ransacked property in the region.

Kunal Ghosh, Trinamool spokesperson, however alleged that seeing the impact of the ongoing outreach programme of Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee, the BJP and the Opposition are terrified. He alleged that the BJP is making efforts at diverting attention away from Banerjee’s programme. He claimed that the attack on police, on Tuesday, was preconceived.

Ghosh alleged that police personnel were beaten up but they restrained. To look up for the culprits police went out for the search, and during some incident – while the search was on – a death occurred. If there was a lapse on the part of the police, the administration will act. Was there some ‘plot’, he asked. Some oppositional leaders are looking for a “dead body” for politics, he alleged.