Cooch Behar: Trinamool Congress calls bandh after murder of ‘supporter’

A murder in Cooch Behar took a political turn on Wednesday with the Trinamool Congress claiming that the deceased was its supporter and was murdered by BJP workers.

A section of Trinamool leaders announced a 24-hour strike in the area and surrounding areas on Thursday.

Sources said an argument broke out between two groups of people over cutting bamboo from a garden in Salbari More, an area of Natbari 1 panchayat in the district.

Tapan Das and Radhakant Das had a heated argument with Anil Das and Akhil Das, all local residents.

Soon, a scuffle broke out and 33-year-old Tapan Das was murdered. Some other people were injured and were sent to hospitals for first aid.

Four people including Akhil Das have been detained.

Trinamool leaders claimed that Tapan was an active party worker.

Party sources said that the bandh will be observed in all the 14 panchayat areas of Tufanganj-1 block.

This will be the first time in recent years that Trinamool will call a general strike in the district. “This is surprising because time and again, Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee has said that the party is against any strike,” said a political veteran from the district.

However, BJP leaders have denied this allegation. Tufanganj BJP MLA Malti Rao Roy said that this is a local incident.

Police pickets have been set up in the area to keep the situation under control.