BJP leader Raju Jha was shot dead by unidentified people in West Bengal's Purba Bardhaman on Saturday. A senior police official while talking to news agency ANI said that the victim was a Durgapur-based businessman, he along with his team was on his way to Kolkata in the evening when unidentified people attacked him outside a confectionary shop in Shaktigarh region.
Bardhaman Superintendent of Police (SP) Kamnasis Sen while talking to ANI said, "In the car, there were three persons including Raju Jha. The motive of the accused is yet to be ascertained. Further investigation is underway."
As per the police, Jha was rushed immediately to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead upon arrival. The other men who were with him got injured in the incident and were undergoing treatment at the hospital.
SP added that post the incident, the accused fled the scene.
During the rule of the Left Front, the deceased was accused of operating an illegal coal business in Silpanchal. Several cases were registered against him in the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government. He became a part of the BJP ahead of the last assembly elections in December 2021 in the presence of State president Dilip Ghosh.
Further investigation into the matter is underway, reported ANI.
In another recent incident, BJP leader and former head of Asanwar village was shot dead on the night of March 16 by two bike-borne men in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district when he was on his way back home after securing bail for one of his close associates, the police have said. Verma was riding a pillion with his aide Dev Kumar who was riding the bike when the incident took place.
Dev said both of them were returning home after getting bail for one of their close friends from the village, reported ANI. Kumar added that two men approached them from behind on a bike and suddenly started firing at them.
A police case has been registered against the three accused in the matter, said Ballia Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajakaran Nayyar.