2 Arrested In Congress Worker Murder Case In West Bengal

Two persons were arrested by the police in connection with the murder of a Congress worker in West Bengal on Saturday.

The Congress leader was allegedly murdered at Khargram of Murshidabad on Saturday.

Public Prosecutor Subhra Mishra Kandi told ANI that the accused have been sent to a 10-day police remand to recover the weapon used in the crime, which was reported to be an iron rod and a local gun.

"They attacked with an iron rod and a gun. They were injured and one of them died at the hospital. They have been sent to a 10-day police remand for the recovery of the offending weapon," Subhra Mishra Kandi, a Public Prosecutor told ANI.

Further details are awaited.

In response to the alleged killing, Congress workers held a demonstration outside the West Bengal State Election Commission office in Kolkata. Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary criticized the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government, accusing it of protecting the culprits involved in the murder.

"A Congress worker was murdered at Khargram in Murshidabad. The incident took place in the run-up to the panchayat elections. The accused is being shielded by the administration in the wake of the killing. We will hold protests against this. Does the TMC want a bullet election or a ballot election? We will not allow TMC to indulge in this politics of blood," he said.

He further accused the TMC of "intimidating" the Opposition parties ahead of the Panchayat polls.

"Our worst fears around the panchayat polls are ringing true. The ruling party in Bengal is resorting to unchecked hooliganism and using the administration to unleash terror on the Opposition forces ahead of the panchayat polls. We are being intimidated in a planned manner. They don't want the panchayat polls in Murshidabad and elsewhere to be held in police," Chowdhury told.

The panchayat elections in West Bengal are to be held on July 8 in a single phase and votes will be counted on July 11, the state poll panel said on Thursday.

These elections are expected to witness a fierce competition between the ruling TMC and the principal opposition, the BJP. They are being seen as a litmus test for both parties ahead of the Lok Sabha elections next year.