Clashes Erupt in North Bengal During BJP ‘Bandh’ Over MLA’s Death

In Cooch Behar, bandh supporters pelted stones at buses.

BJP supporters clashed with police in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district during a 12-hour bandh called by the saffron party in north Bengal.

(Photo: The Quint)

BJP supporters clashed with police in West Bengal's Cooch Behar district during a 12-hour bandh called by the saffron party in north Bengal, to protest against, what they allege, is the political killing of Debendranath Ray, a BJP MLA from the state.

Protestors pelted stones on buses in the Dinhata town of Cooch Behar as they clashed with police while trying to stop buses from leaving the North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) depot.

Window panes of a couple of buses were allegedly damaged by the bandh supporters, officials told PTI.

The agitators, who were led by BJP's Cooch Behar district president, Malati Rava, were removed by the police, following which the buses moved out of the depot, they said.

BJP MLA from Hemtabad in the North Dinajpur district, Debendranath Ray, was found hanging in a shop close to his residence in the district on 13 July.

The police say that they’ve recovered a note from his body. The first autopsy report of Ray’s body also states that his death was “due to effects of hanging”.

The state BJP has, however, launched a state-wide protest demanding justice for the MLA who contested the 2016 elections on a CPI(M) ticket, but shifted to the BJP in 2019.

The call for bandh by the party saw mixed response in north Bengal.

In Siliguri, which is north Bengal's largest city, government buses were plying as usual, but private buses were fewer in number, reported PTI.

In Malda and North Dinajpur, several bandh supporters reported picketed roads and raised slogans for an "impartial" investigation into Ray's death.

(With inputs from PTI)