Bengal: TMC worker killed, Congress activist shot at in rural poll violence

Kolkata: A Trinamool Congress (TMC) worker was killed and a Congress activist shot at in separate incidents of violence ahead of the July 8 panchayat polls in West Bengal, police said on Sunday.

The TMC worker, identified as 52-year-old Jiyarul Molla, was shot dead in the Phulmalancha area in Basanti in South 24 Parganas district late on Saturday night when he was returning home, a police officer said.

In another incident at Samserganj in Murshidabad district on Sunday night, Congress worker Arif Seikh was seriously injured after being shot at by unidentified men, another police officer said.

Seikh was taken to the Jangipur Hospital after he was shot at during an altercation with some people when he was campaigning for local panchayat candidate, the officer said, adding that his condition was critical.

As news of the attack on Seikh surfaced, Congress workers blocked roads in different parts of Samserganj, disrupting vehicular movement for several hours.

Samserganj Block Congress president B Seikh alleged that the TMC was "behind the unprovoked firing incident" and said party workers would again demonstrate on Monday.

However, the TMC denied the charge, asserting that the firing incident occurred "due to rivalry" and it has "nothing to do with politics".

In the Basanti incident, a local Indian Secular Front (ISF) leader claimed that the deceased, who was a close associate of TMC leader Amarul Laskar, was a "victim of infighting within the ruling party".

Molla's daughter Manwara, who is a TMC candidate in Kathalberia gram panchayat, also alleged that her father had complained to the police about "frequent threats" from a rival faction which asked him to quit politics but the "law enforcers did not take any action".

“I am a first-time candidate. My candidature is not liked by another local faction in the party. I demand a high-level probe into the murder of my father,” she told reporters.

Local TMC MLA Saokat Molla said the police will probe the matter and take prompt action against whoever is responsible.

With the fresh death, 10 people have been killed so far in rural poll-related violence in West Bengal since the filing of nominations began on June 9, according to police reports.

Meanwhile, at least 10 people were injured in clashes between CPI(M) and ISF supporters on one side and those of the TMC on the other in Paschim Medinipur district on Sunday, police said.

The incident took place in the Krishnapur area in Chandrakona in the morning after TMC members tried to put up party flags and faced resistance from opposition activists.

The 10 injured people, who belong to both camps, have been admitted to hospitals, where they are undergoing treatment, another police officer said, adding that their condition is stated to be stable.

In another incident, Ibrahim Mollah, a TMC candidate in Chaltaberia gram panchayat, was seriously injured when he was thrashed and stabbed allegedly by ISF activists on Saturday night, the police said.

The incident occurred when he was returning home in the Bhangar area in South 24 Parganas after campaigning, the officer said.

TMC leader Saokat Molla alleged that ISF's Bhangar MLA Naushad Siddique was "behind the attack" as he wanted to unleash a “reign of terror” in the area.

Siddique, however, dismissed the charge and alleged that the TMC was "threatening and intimidating ISF workers" in villages.

“Villagers are protesting against the atrocities and 'bomb culture' of the TMC. These protests are not being liked by the gang patronised by the ruling party leader. The ISF believes in peaceful movement by people, not violence,” he added.

Around 5.67 crore people are eligible to cast their votes in the three-tier panchayat elections in the state on July 8 for nearly 74,000 seats in zilla parishads, panchayat samitis and gram panchayats.