BJP Worker Shot Dead In Bengal, Party Claims Trinamool, CPM Behind Attack

Lok Sabha Polls: The BJP worker was a resident of Pacha Chandpur in Kaliganj and he reportedly joined the saffron party from the CPI(M) ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Lok Sabha Polls: A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker was shot dead in West Bengal's Nadia district on Saturday after the conclusion of polling in the seventh and last phase of the Lok Sabha elections. The deceased saffron party worker was identified as Hafizul Sheikh, who recently joined the BJP, was shot in the head by a man at a tea stall, India Today reported, citing sources.

The police have identified the attacker and are looking for him, the sources further stated. India Today, citing police sources, reported that both the saffron party worker and his attacker, whom they have identified, had criminal records.

The BJP worker was a resident of Pacha Chandpur in Kaliganj and he reportedly joined the saffron party from the CPI(M) ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Hafizul was playing carrom with his neighbours on the side of the national highway when the attackers started firing at him. After being shot, Hafizul was allegedly hacked to death, the Indian Express reported, citing sources.

It was alleged that when Sheikh was making attempts to flee, he was shot and beaten to ensure his death. According to witnesses, some of the attackers wore khaki uniforms and pretended to be police personnel, as reported by the Indian Express.

After the murder, Hafizul’s relatives and local residents sat in protest for the whole night with the BJP worker's body, alleging inaction from police, the IE report stated. The police, however, denied the allegations and stated that no written complaint was lodged with them until late at night.

BJP Blames TMC And CPI (M) For Attack 

The saffron party has blamed the Trinamool Congress and CPI (M) for the attack on its workers.

"The killings in West Bengal have started. Hafizul Sheikh, another BJP worker, has been murdered. His body, swollen, bullet ridden, head chopped and missing, was found lying by the road side," BJP's IT cell head Amit Amit Malviya said in a post on X. He stated that under Sheikh, the minorities in the area were joining the BJP before the Lok Sabha elections.

"TMC has no love lost for Muslims, if they do not vote for them. Muslims were targeted in Diamond Harbour too, where a large number of them voted for Pratikur Rehman, the CPI(M) candidate," he said.