West Bengal: Four Killed, Several Injured in Trinamool-BJP Clash After Defacement of Party Flag

The violent clash which claimed the lives of at least 4 party workers took place in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district over the issue of defacement of party flags.

Kolkata: At least four political workers were killed and several others injured in a clash that took place between the supporters of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Trinamool Congress on Saturday in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, stated the police. While reports state that two BJP workers and one TMC worker were killed, the BJP claimed that three of their party members lost their lives in the violent attack.

During the clash, the supporters of the BJP and TMC hurled stones and petrol bombs at each other. As per reports, the party workers used guns in the attack.While the BJP leaders claim that the clash erupted after Trinamool workers allegedly removed the saffron party’s flags in Sandeshkhali area, the local Trinamool leaders accused the BJP workers of defacing their flags.

Notably, the State Minister and Trinamool’s district President Jyotipriya Mallick alleged, “During a booth level meeting of our workers in Hatgachhi, some miscreants, backed by the BJP, attacked them. Qayum Mollah, a 26-year-old Trinamool worker, was taken out of the party office and stabbed to death.”

Denying the party workers’ involvement in Qayum’s murder, state BJP leader Sayantan Basu claimed that three of their supporters were killed in the clash. “We have information that three of our local leaders — Pradip Mondal, Tapan Mondal and Sukanta Mondal — were murdered by Trinamool supporters,” claimed Basu. The state BJP leader further alleged that their party workers were shot from point-blank range.

Meanwhile,  a clash broke out on the same day between Bharatiya Janata Party workers and police in South Dinajpur’s Gangarampur area of Kolkata, after cops allegedly stopped rally of BJP parliamentarian Dilip Ghosh. During the clashes, one police sub-inspector and two civic volunteers were injured. They have been admitted to a nearby hospital. Many vehicles were vandalised and police had to fire in the air to stop the clashes, stated a report.

(With agency inputs)