West Bengal's Arambagh Tense Over BJP Supporter's Death

Kolkata:

The death of a 70-year-old man at Arambagh in West Bengal's Hooghly district today has triggered tensions in the area.

The BJP has claimed its party worker Sadem Ali Khan was beaten by supporters of the Trinamool Congress with bamboo sticks and iron rods. When he fell unconscious, they handed him over to the police. When the police were taking him away in a van, they, too, allegedly beat him.

"They then threw him out of the van near a market and left," said state BJP president Rahul Sinha. "When locals took him to hospital, he was dead," he added.  

The Trinamool Congress has denied the BJP's claims.

"On Tuesday, BJP's Jainal Khan had led a mob and attacked a village. Jainal is Sadek Ali's brother. So, this morning, police asked him about Jainal's whereabouts.  Sadek then had a stroke, was taken to hospital and died. The Trinamool or police had nothing to do with it. The BJP is lying. Our people have been rendered homeless by BJP supporters," Trinamool Congress Hooghly district president Tapan Dasgupta said.

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Hooghly district police superintendent Sunil Chowdhury,  said, "Doctors who are conducting the post mortem have said initial reports show there was no external injury. We are investigating." He confirmed that Sadek Ali Khan's family had filed a complaint at the Arambagh police station.

BJP leader Rahul Sinha, however, said the Trinamool was terrorising BJP supporters in the Arambagh area over the last few days. "The BJP will file a police complaint tomorrow, Mr Sinha said, accusing the police and the Trinamool of the 70-year-old's murder.

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The BJP has also called a bandh in the Arambagh area tomorrow from 2 to 6 pm.  Police pickets have been placed in the area which is deserted and tense.