Trinamool Worker Killed, SUCI Member Found Hanging In Bengal: Police

A Trinamool Congress (TMC) worker was allegedly killed in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district, while the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) said one of it's member's body was found hanging from a tree in the area, the police said today.

Workers of the SUCI and the ruling TMC clashed in the Kultali area of the district on Friday over a power tussle in Maipith-Baikanthapur panchayat, sources told news agency PTI.

The TMC alleged that its member Ashwini Manna was beaten up and killed by the members of the SUCI.

Meanwhile, the SUCI alleged that its district committee member, Sudhashu Jana, was kidnapped from his house by TMC workers, beaten to death and his body hung from a tree. They said his house was also vandalised.

The police said the TMC worker was killed, but Sudhanshu Jana is suspected to have committed suicide.

"The bodies have been sent for post-mortem. Sudhanshu Jana's body was found hanging from a tree, so we suspect that he has committed suicide. The exact cause can be ascertained only after we get the post-mortem report," an official said.

The police have arrested 11 people in connection with the clashes, officials said, adding that three more have been detained.

Former SUCI MLA Joykrishna Halder said several houses of his party members were looted, vandalised and set on fire.

The police said forces have been deployed in the area to tackle the situation.

Several members of the TMC and SUCI are admitted to different hospitals with injuries, officials said.

Sources said though the TMC has only eight members in the Maipith-Baikanthapur panchayat, it still managed to hold on to power for more than two years. However, the SUCI, with 11 members, decided to move a no-confidence motion recently, leading to the clash.