Congress, Trinamool supporters killed in Bengal

KOLKATA - A Trinamool Congress zonal committee member and a Congress supporter have been killed in two separate incidents in West Bengal, police said Friday.

Rajen Mahato, a popular leader in Maoist-hit Balarampur area of Purulia district was shot dead late Thursday.

“He was also a member of the Kerua-Ghatbera zonal committee. When he was returning home he was shot dead by Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) activists at Kerua More,” Purulia Trinamool Congress president Santiram Mahato said.

However, police suspect Rajen was killed by Maoist rebels.

“The modus operandi indicates that Rajen was shot dead by Maoists. An investigation has been initiated in this regard,” Purulia district Additional Police Superintendent C. Sudhakar said.

In a separate incident, a Congress supporter was hacked to death allegedly by CPI-M supporters in Jalangi village of Murshidabad district late Thursday.

Domkal Sub-Divisional Police officer (SDPO) Subir Chatterjee said: “One Congress supporter was killed and two others were injured in a political clash in Jalangi village. A police picket has been set up in the area and investigation has been initiated.”

A clash broke out between the two groups following a dispute over a football match Thursday evening, police said.

“The CPI-M supporters attacked three Congress supporters with sharp weapons. All three sustained critical cut injuries. They were rushed to a local hospital where Biplab Mondal succumbed to his injuries,” said a senior police officer.

Meanwhile, state Opposition leader Partha Chatterjee visited Malbazar block in Purulia to take part in a scheduled demonstration programme demanding arrest of the CPI-M supporters accused of murdering Haladhar Mahato, a Trinamool Congress supporter of Boro village.

Haladhar was killed allegedly by CPI-M supporters Thursday. A complaint was also lodged with the police against the CPI-M leaders but no arrest has been made so far, said Santiram Mahato, the Purulia district Trinamool Congress president.

“Police are trying to protect the CPI-M hooligans saying that Mahato was killed by the Maoists. Our leader Partha Chatterjee will visit Kerua village and a complaint will be lodged against the accused,” Santiram said.