Kolkata:
Two Trinamool Congress supporters have been killed in separate incidents in Maoist-affected areas of West Midnapore and Bankura districts, police said on Thursday.
Trinamool Congress leaders have pointed fingers at the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) for the killings.
Trinamool supporter Jithen Soren was shot dead on Wednesday night in front of his house in Siromoni village under Kotawli police station of West Midnapore district. His body was recovered on Thursday morning.
"His family members said that a group of five masked miscreants came on motorbikes, dragged him out of the house and shot him dead," a police official said.
"Though the modus operandi suggests that the Maoists are behind the murder, his family members lodged a complaint against local CPI-M supporters," said a Kotwali police station official.
West Midnapore Trinamool Congress president Pranab Basu said: "Jithen was murdered by the CPI-M goons and we have lodged a complaint accusing the local CPI-M leaders."
In the other incident, Trinamool activist Tarapada Masanto was hacked to death on Wednesday night in Simlipal area of Bankura district. Masanto's blood-soaked body was found on Thursday morning.
Local Trinamool Congress leaders have alleged that Tarapada was killed by the CPI-M and demanded immediate arrest of the accused.
Bankura Superintendent of Police Pranav Kumar said, "Tarapada was killed by miscreants and we are investigating the matter. We suspect he was killed because of family feud. His wife has been detained."