A BJP worker’s husband was killed during an alleged internal party clash in West Bengal’s Panihati North 24 Parganas district on Sunday.
According to a local source who spoke to Anand Bazaar Patrika, Ruma Shah, the secretary of the party’s Panihati-1 Mandal, was on her way to resolve a dispute when her husband was beaten to death.
Sources say that suspects were several members of her own party. Ruma’s husband, Arup Saha, was rushed to Sagar Dutt Medical Centre on Saturday night, where he was pronounced dead. The wife of the deceased man alleged that the attack was carried out by people who left the Trinamool Congress to join the BJP.
According to Ruma, she was returning from office in Kankinara between 7:30 and 8:00 pm. A businessman had alleged that some youths were arguing and using obscene language in front of his shop. She arrived at the spot and them advised them to return home.
She also informed the MLA on the matter.
Shortly after she reached home, she received a call about another disturbance. When she arrived at the spot this time with her husband, she saw about 40 to 50 men in the area. Ruma said, "I saw about 40-50 youths there, including Rajdeep, Raja Tahsildar, Surjit Biswas alias Nani. There were also followers of Nirmal Ghosh. When I tried to calm the situation, Payel and Raja Tahsildar rushed towards me. My husband protested when he saw this. Then some people, including Raja Tahsildar, pushed him away."
She said that while tryign to calm the dispute he was pushed and knocked down.
Ruma said she was threatened by the men. When the situation went out of hand, she called the police. However, her husband’s condition had deteriorated.
The incident has sparked fresh tension in the area. Panihati MLA Ratna Debnath, who is also the mother of the victim of the RG Kar medical college rape and murder, requested the Chief Minister’s intervention in the case. The MLA also alleged that the people who joined the BJP from other parties were the ones creating unrest in the area.
She also made allegations against the BJP’s North Kolkata Suburban President Chandicharan Roy and the party’s internal coordination and requested that action be taken againt those found guilty.
There has been no arrests made on the case so far. Police are investigating the circumstances aroudn the incident.
