On Monday, the 3rd of July, the West Bengal Police recovered the body of a BJP leader named Bankim Hansda from the Bodo area of Purulia district. He had reportedly gone missing on Sunday morning when he stepped out of his house to campaign for the Panchayat elections.
Purulia DSP Abhijeet Bandopadhyay said, “The police have recovered the body of the BJP leader from the Bodo area of Purulia District in West Bengal. Further investigation into the matter is underway.”
West Bengal | Police recovered the body of a BJP leader named Bankim Hansda from Bodo area of Purulia district. Further investigation into the matter is underway: Purulia DSP Abhijeet Bandopadhyay
— ANI (@ANI) July 3, 2023
As per the information received, the deceased leader was the BJP general secretary of the Manbazar area. Hansda was a resident of the Kendadi village of the Purulia district. His blood-soaked body was found by the local people at around 7 am on Monday morning, 3rd July, on the unpaved road leading from Kendri to Jhariyadi village.
Following the death of their party worker, BJP leaders have accused the TMC government of “spreading fear in the minds of voters” so that they don’t come out to cast their vote in the Panchayat elections due on the 8th of July.
The main opposition party, BJP has been stating that the ruling party, TMC wants its workers to win unopposed. Alleging that TMC goons are involved in the killing of their party worker, BJP stated that in TMC rule, “elections have taken the form of terrorism”.
Taking to their official Twitter handle, BJP said, “TMC-backed miscreants killed BJP general secretary Bankim Hansda from Purulia’s Bandwan Assembly. In Bengal, under the TMC rule, elections have taken the form of terrorism. Bengal will respond against this misguided attempt to retain power by resorting to terrorism!”
TMC-backed miscreants killed BJP general secretary Bankim Hansda from Purulia's Bandwan Assembly.
— BJP Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) July 3, 2023
In Bengal, under the TMC rule, elections have taken the form of terrorism. Bengal will respond against this misguided attempt to retain power by resorting to terrorism! pic.twitter.com/mzxNVROGn1
Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari targeted the TMC government claiming that it has established a “Jungle Raj” in the state. He leveled serious allegations against the TMC government and claimed that TMC-backed goons are not even sparing the SC, ST & OBC communities. He further demanded a CBI probe in this case.
He said, “We don’t expect the officials of the Boro PS; Purulia Police District to conduct an impartial investigation. The CBI should be handed over the case for a proper investigation.”
Another mysterious death of a @BJP4Bengal Karyakarta in Purulia district. The Regional TMC Party has established "Jungle Raj" in WB. Even the Janjatiyas and people belonging to the SC, ST & OBC communities are not being spared.
— Suvendu Adhikari • শুভেন্দু অধিকারী (@SuvenduWB) July 3, 2023
Shri Bankim Hansda, a member of the ST Community,… pic.twitter.com/kBgQ5yobYW
Violence and alleged political murders continue unabated in Bengal
Violence and alleged political murders amid elections in West Bengal have been regularly making headlines in the news with no end in sight.
Earlier, on 29 June, another local BJP leader’s body was found hanging in his residence at Balpai village in Paschim Medinipur district, police said.
Similar to this case, he was allegedly missing for the past three-four days. A police official informed that the deceased leader was identified as BJP booth president Dipak Samanta.
Talking to PTI, the officer said, “We have found Dipak Samanta hanging from the ceiling of his village residence at Sabang. He is attached to a political party. We are investigating the matter and have no clue whether this is a suicide or murder case. Police are yet to arrest anyone and the body has been sent for post-mortem.”
