A 40-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party worker was allegedly beaten to death, in West Bengal’s Hooghly district, following a clash that broke out over hoisting national flag on Saturday, 15 August.
The BJP workers have alleged that the deceased was killed by TMC workers, however, TMC has denied these allegations.
According to the police, both the groups wanted to hoist the national flag at the same place for Independence Day in rural Hooghly.
"A clash broke out between locals over hoisting the Indian flag at Khanakul in the morning. A man was killed when he was attacked with bamboo sticks. We have detained eight persons for interrogation,” Tathagata Basu, superintendent of police of Hooghly district, told Hindustan Times.
The victim has been identified as one Sudarshan Pramanik, a booth worker from Arambagh.
“Such incidents will continue till the TMC is in power. Till date 108 BJP workers and leaders have been killed,” said Sayantan Basu, general secretary of BJP.
The BJP's Bengal Twitter handle tweeted about the incidence calling for 'Mamata Mukto Bengal' (Mamata free Bengal).
Meanwhile, Hooghly TMC President, Dilip Yadav told The Indian Express,“They are trying to gain political mileage over this death. It is a fallout of their internal feud,”
According to The Indian Express, the BJP workers in Bengal have launched a protest against their party worker's death. The party has also announced a 12-hour bandh in the area, vandalising local party offices, and demanding arrest of those involved in the case.
In response, a huge police force has been deployed to rural Hooghly.
While the police have reserved their comments on the political affiliations of the groups, locals reported to The Indian Express that "a few BJP workers had gathered at Khanakul to hoist the flag when they were allegedly stopped by another group."
(With inputs from The Indian Express, Hindustan Times)
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