On Thursday, June 15, a fresh spate of political violence broke out in West Bengal as the father of a Congress leader was brutally killed in the Hajbibidanga village in Murshidabad district in the state. The Congress has blamed the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) for the incident.
The victim identified as Meherul Sheikh is the father of local Congress leader Ramzan Sheikh who has filed his nomination for the upcoming West Bengal panchayat elections.
According to reports, a group of Trinamool members stormed into the residence of Congress candidate Ramzan Sheikh armed with guns and country-made bombs but they couldn’t find Ramzan. After this, they assaulted Maharulla Sheikh, the candidate’s father.
The family members of the victim told the media that Mehrul Sheikh was sitting at a tea stall when a group of miscreants attacked him.
It is being said that the assault was carried out in vengeance for the murder of Trinamool Congress leader Mozammel Sheikh.
“Around 9 pm on Thursday, Trinamool Congress leader Mozammel Sheikh was accosted by unidentified assailants and shot while he was campaigning. He was knocked to the ground first and then shot, after which his assailants fled,” The Telegraph quoted a source as saying.
He added that Mozammel Sheikh was rushed to the Nabagram rural hospital in the district, where he was declared dead.
“Once the news of his death reached Trinamool workers, they got together and attacked the home of the Congress candidate without much evidence, ostensibly owing to the fierce Congress-Trinamool rivalry in the area,” the source added.
This year’s Panchayat elections are set for July 8, and the State of West Bengal, which has a history of political violence, is once again going through a wave of unrest. Since the start of the submission of election nominations, goons linked to the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) party have sparked disruption and unrest.
In the latest, Union State Minister Nisith Pramanik and BJP MLA Sukumar Roy’s car was allegedly attacked in Sahebganj in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district on Saturday. Pramanik said an “arrow was aimed at our vehicle. Bombs are being lobbed”. “BJP candidates’ documents were snatched, and they were beaten in front of the police. We have videos and photos,” he added.
Prior to this, at least 3 people had lost their lives.
