India Today Web Desk, New Delhi :
At least 8 people have been allegedly killed while several others have been injured in fresh clashes that broke out between BJP and Trinamool Congress party workers in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal.
While state BJP sources told news agency IANS that five of their activists/workers have been shot dead by men from Mamata Banerjee’s party, a senior TMC leader alleged that three of their party men have been killed in the clashes which occurred in Hatgachi area under Sandeshkhali Assembly constituency on Saturday.
BJP sources also claimed that 18 others from the party have gone missing. However, no official confirmation on the same has been received.
As gory images of the slain party workers involved in Sandeshkhali clash emerged on social media, BJP leader Mukul Roy on Sunday blamed Mamata Banerjee for unleashing violence against the BJP workers.
3 BJP workers shot dead by TMC goons in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal. @mamataofficial is directly responsible for unleashing violence against BJP workers.
We will be reaching Union Home Minister Sh @amitshah ji to apprise him of Sandeshkhali killings. “We will be reaching Union Home Minister Amit Shah to apprise him of the Sandeshkhali killings,” BJP leader Mukul Roy tweeted late on Saturday,” he said.
Meanwhile, police in the region has so far confirmed the death of three political workers-two from the BJP and one from TMC. However, Mukul Roy said that four party men have been killed by TMC workers.
Locals said the clash between the two political groups started over the forceful removal of BJP’s flags on Saturday afternoon and soon turned violent. The situation immediately went out of control when some men started firing.
According to sources, a BJP delegation comprising Mukul Roy, Sayantan Basu, Locket Chatterjee, Jagannath Sarkar, Arjun Singh, Dulal Bar and Shantanu Thakur already left for Sandeshkhali from airport at 11 AM.
Earlier, State BJP General Secretary Satantan Basu claimed that three BJP party workers-Pradip Mondal, Tapan Mondal and Sukanta Mondal-were killed while five other functionaries were injured in the clash.
Another BJP leader Subrata Chattopadhyay said a fourth BJP worker Debabrata Mondal also died after he was shot. Meanwhile, another injured BJP worker Shankar Mondal’s dead body was found on Sunday, according to BJP sources. Trinamool Congress also alleged that its worker Qayum Mollah was stabbed to death while two others were thrown into the water.
“During a booth-level meeting of our workers in Hatgachhi, some miscreants backed by the BJP attacked them. Mollah, a 26-year-old Trinamool worker, was dragged out of the party office and stabbed to death,” state Minister and Trinamool’s district President Jyotipriya Mallick claimed.
“Two other workers were thrown into the river. Eighteen Trinamool workers, including six women, are injured,” he said. “I would like to ask the BJP whether we have the right to hold a meeting or not.”
Union Minister and BJP leader Babul Supriyo tweeted he was “deeply disturbed” by the murders of BJP functionaries. “The people of West Bengal will very soon put an end to TMC’s atrocities,” said Supriyo.
