West Bengal: Three-member BJP delegation visits violence-torn Bhatpara

The BJP delegation, which was comprised of Durgapur MP S S Ahluwalia, Satya Pal Singh and Vishnu Dayal Ram, arrived the city from New Delhi this morning and visited the members of the deceased's families.

The delegation, which demanded a high-level probe into the killing, will submit its report to BJP president and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

A joint delegation of the Congress and the Left Front, headed by Congress leader Abdul Mannan and CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty, also visited the area.

Chakraborty said the victims were non-political persons and their deaths were due to political rivalry.

Congress leader Abdul Mannan said the surviving two families were on the verge of starvation and the state government must act immediately to provide compensation and jobs so that they can sustain.

The situation at Bhatpara and Kakinara were tense and all the business establishments remained closed for the past three days.

The BJP workers staged a massive protest against the police and accused the Trinamool Congress government for the present unrest in Bhatpara.

At one point of time, the situation went almost beyond control and forced the police to use lathis in which one person was hurt.

Barrackpore Police Commissioner Manoj Verma rushed to the area to take stock of the situation.

Meanwhile, deadly violence and political murders continued rocking Bengal for the past five weeks with a fresh lynching of a BJP activist reported from North 24 Parganas.

Nazimul Karim (23), a resident of Bahigachi of Amdanga, was fatally assaulted by a group of people while he was on way to a doctor's clinic last evening. He breathed his last early today at the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

Nazimul Karim, who joined the BJP from the CPI(M), was initially taken to Amdanga Gramin hospital, which referred him to Barasat hospital. He was finally admitted to the city hospital where he succumbed to his multiple wounds.

The BJP charged the ruling TMC of being involved in the brutal murder in which a group of people clubbed to death the youth. Police were investigating the crime.

At least two persons were shot dead and five sustained bullet and bomb wounds in a fresh bout of clash between rival gangs in North 24 Parganas' volatile Bhatpara area, just before the inauguration of a new police station on Thursday.

Firearms and crude bombs were used freely, compelling the combat police to lob teargas shells and resort to lathicharge to disperse the violent mob.

The deceased were identified as Rambabu Shaw and Dharmendra Shaw, reportedly supporters of the BJP.

Bhatpara, Kakinara and other region of the area under Jadaggal police station have been witnessing bloody violence since the last phase of Lok Sabha polls in which at least six persons lost their lives.

Thursday's fresh bout of violence was just before the inauguration of a police station, which was earlier a temporary police post, and DGP Virender was scheduled to visit it.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 CR PC were promulgated to thwart any further incident.

The Bengal Government took serious note of the clashes and Section 144 Cr Pc was clamped for an indefinite period at Bhatpara.

BJP's Barrackpore MP Arjun Singh said they were killed in the police firing.

Local people alleged that the miscreants fight regularly in the area of Kankinara, Bhatpara under Jagaddal police station and the administration failed to bring the situation under control. They said

the common people have been in panic for the past 32 days since May 19.

The trouble cropped up before inauguration of the Bhatpara police station, a bifurcation of Jagaddal police station, following unabated violence since May 19, the last day of Lok Sabha poll.

BJP wrested power in both Barrackpore Parliamentary and Bhatpara Assembly seats.

The opening of Bhatpara police station was postponed.

State Home Secretary Alapan Banerjee said the government has taken the Bhatpara situation very seriously.

A high-level meeting also took place at Nabanna to take stock of the situation.

BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya blamed the CM Mamata Banerjee-led administration for the current "chaotic" state of affairs in West Bengal.

He claimed police firing led to the death of two youths at Bhatpara, where the BJP parliamentary team will visit and report to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Party MP from Barrackpore Arjun Singh also claimed that the two were killed in police firing. One of the deceased received bullet shot on his head, he alleged. 

Image: BJP Bengal Twitter page