West Bengal: BJP worker's body found with hands, legs tied
On Monday, the body of a BJP worker was discovered floating in a lake in Murshidabad district, West Bengal with his hands and feet tied with a rope. The deceased, identified as 54-year-old Dharmaraj Hazra, had gone missing on Sunday. Following reports of death, the saffron party trained guns on Trinamool Congress accusing them of killing him. The police have launched an investigation.
Hazra got threats from TMC, BJP leader accuses
A BJP member Gouri Shankar Ghosh alleged Hazra had been receiving threats since the panchayat elections in the state for supporting BJP. "Hazra is a member of the BJP's 56 Shaktipur Mandal Committee," Ghosh said. Further, he accused TMC of eliminating BJP workers since they feared the rise of the saffron party. Party President Amit Shah has also condemned the death in a strong-worded tweet.
West Bengal has become epitome of violence, tweets Amit Shah
Earlier, deaths of two BJP workers shocked West Bengal
Hazra's death comes just weeks after two BJP workers died in separate incidents. In May, the body of 21-year-old Trilochan Mahato was found hanging with a chilling note. Days later, another BJP worker, 32-year-old Dulal Kumar was found hanging from a pole. Speaking on Hazra's death, TMC MLA from Shaktipur Rabiul Alam Chowdhury claimed his party workers weren't associated with it.
Meanwhile, BJP protested against another 'missing' member
To protest against Hazra's death, BJP has led an agitation in Rajghat in Delhi. Meanwhile, BJP members staged a demonstration at Santaldih police station of West Bengal's Purulia, after police said they couldn't trace another party worker Parimal Mahato. Later, it was learned Mahato joined TMC. But, BJP said Mahato was abducted and forced to join TMC at gunpoint, a claim the latter denied.
Political rivals BJP and TMC battle for Bengal's power
Since the recently-concluded panchayat elections, political rivals BJP and TMC have been at loggerheads. Further, during his recent visit to West Bengal, Amit Shah claimed BJP would win 22 Lok Sabha seats and that deaths of party-workers won't be forgotten. However, four families whom Shah met, joined TMC only a day after the meeting.
