At least five persons were killed in two separate incidents of political violence and a bomb blast in three districts of the south Bengal in the past 24 hours.
Two people died and three were injured in a crude bomb explosion under the Suti police station of Murshidabad district late on Friday night. According to police sources, a group of people was making crude bombs in Ahiran area when the blast occurred. The deceased were identified as Situ Sheikh and Maharul Shiekh, who were residents of other areas of the district. Kaizuddin, in whose house the explosion occurred, is absconding.
Locals said Kaizuddin was involved in a land dispute. The blast was so strong that the entire structure in which people had assembled came crashing down. Over the past few days, with the easing of lockdown, crude bomb blasts have been reported in Malda and Birbhum district. The Opposition parties have demanded probe into them.
Political violence reported from the districts of south Bengal on Friday night and Saturday morning had caused three more deaths. The situation in the Maipith gram panchayat under the Kultali police station in the South 24 Parganas had turned volatile since Friday.
On Saturday Ashwini Manna, a Trinamool Congress supporter was killed by a group. The local TMC leadership alleged that the workers of the Socialist Unity Center of India ( Communist) were behind the murder. The body of an SUCI supporter Sudhanshu Jana was found in his home in the same gram panchayat. According to some reports, the dispute started over the distribution of tarpaulin sheets as part of cyclone Amphan relief. The police said raids are being conducted to arrest the accused.
At Birbhum in south central Bengal, a Trinamool Congress supporter Sisir Bauri was killed under the Khairasole police station area. His wife said he was killed for maintaining “good ties” with the BJP leadership. The TMC district leadership said the death was the result of a family dispute.
Over the past few months, instances of political violence had seen a dip because of the lockdown. But with the easing of restrictions more incidents of violence are coming to light.
