Massive protest in Bengal's Nandigram over the killing of a BJP worker, the police resorted to lathi charge


Days ahead of polling for the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal on May 25, there have been reports of violence from Nandigram district in East Medinipur district, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has claimed. Many of his workers were attacked. Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers last night.

The BJP launched a protest march in Nandigram on Thursday, saying that one of its women workers, Ruti Bala Ari, had lost her life and seven others were injured in the incident. The injured workers have been admitted to a local hospital for treatment.

An angry mob calling for a 12-hour bandh in Nandigram torched several shops.

A heavy police force was deployed in the area to disperse the BJP workers who were blocking the road and burning tyres. Police had to resort to lathi charge to control the situation in Sonachura area of ​​the district. A unit of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) has also been deployed in the area to control the violence.

Allegations of BJP

The local BJP leadership claimed that in the run-up to the elections, local BJP supporters, including women workers, conduct night patrols in Sonachura area from time to time to prevent anti-social elements during the elections.

According to local BJP leader Meghnad Pal, while a similar patrol was underway on Thursday morning, a group of unidentified miscreants arrived there on motorcycles and attacked the patrolling team with sharp weapons.

“In the attack, Ruti Bala was killed and her son, who was injured, is currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital. We strongly believe that the unidentified miscreants belonged to the ruling Trinamool Congress,” Pal said. .

Condemning the violence, BJP's IT cell chief Amit Malviya said Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee should be held accountable for her inflammatory statements and subsequent action by her party's criminal members.

16 May 2024 – Mamata Banerjee threatens to avenge her Nandigram defeat at a rally in Haldia. She lost to BJP's Swaindu Adhikari, but still shamelessly assumed the post of Chief Minister. On 23 May 2024 – BJP activist Rathi Bala Arhi was murdered in Nandigram. I condemn the cowardly attack by Trinamool supporters on BJP workers in Nandigram. Trinamool supporters attacked BJP workers with sharp weapons in Sonachura area of ​​Nandigram. Seven people were injured in the incident. A woman worker of BJP Rathi Bala Arhi lost her life. Such violence is unacceptable in a democracy,” he said in a post on X.

“Mamata Banerjee must be held accountable for her inflammatory statements and subsequent action by her party's criminal members. We will fight and ensure justice for Rathi Bala Adhikari and all victims. Our local unit has expressed A 12-hour shutdown has been called. But when will the Election Commission take notice of Mamata Banerjee's repeated communal and murderous statements? The BJP leader added.

The TMC denied the allegations of violence.

However, the TMC denied any link with the violence and said it was internal rivalry among BJP workers that led to the clashes.

Rejecting the allegation, Sudesh Das, a TMC leader in Nandigram, said, “There was some family feud and the killing could be the result of that.”

Another senior officer of the district police said that the investigation into the murder of the woman is going on. So far, the police have not arrested or detained anyone in connection with the violence.

EC has called for the report

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has asked the authorities for a report on the incident. The commission is also sending some observers to Bengal to look into the matter.

Polling for the Tamlok Lok Sabha constituency – comprising seven assembly constituencies including Tamlok, Panskurapurba, Nandakumar, Mahisadal, Moena, Haldia-SC and Nandigram – is scheduled for May 25.

Violence in Nandigram

The reports of violence came a day after TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee visited Nandigram, the assembly constituency of opposition leader Swaindu Adhikari, seeking votes for his party's Tamlok candidate Dibangshu Bhattacharya. have been.

On Wednesday, addressing a rally there, Banerjee said the BJP needed to be voted out of power to protect the reservation rights of the people. He said that a change in the center is imminent and TMC will play an important role in forming the new government.

Banerjee marveled at what Swaindu Adhikari had delivered to the people of his constituency. Terming Adhikari as a “ghadar” (traitor), he claimed that the former TMC minister joined the BJP to avoid ED and CBI scrutiny.

Swaindu Adhikari cannot be the son of this pure soil. This is the soil of (freedom fighter) Satish Samantha and other revolutionaries,” he said.

Banerjee alleged that Adhikari won the 2021 assembly elections fraudulently with the help of a power cut during the counting of votes.

He said that he knows that during the 2021 assembly elections, some people did not allow people to vote in many areas of Nandigram.

Warning them, he said, “The outcome of their actions will not be good. They should be careful. I will come to Nandigram within a month after Dibangshu wins.

Meanwhile, the Bengal Police searched several people associated with Adhikari and other BJP leaders in Purba and Pasam Mednipur during May 21-22. A local BJP leader was also arrested after the raids, sparking outrage.

The BJP has accused West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee of intimidating her workers ahead of the sixth phase of polling in the state.

Discover in-depth coverage of Lok Sabha Elections 2024 schedule, voter turnout, upcoming phase and more on News18 website.



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