Kolkata: Three persons including a teenager were killed in a fierce turf war between the Trinamul Congress and BJP in a Birbhum village, three days after a police officer was attacked with bombs.
A 200-strong mob armed with bombs and improvised firearms including muskets attacked village Makra, where prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC was in place.
A police force led by ASP Ananda Roy and SDPO S.P. Yadav reached the village at 11 am but retreated on seeing the mob and sought reinforcements.
Among those who died in a fierce turf war between the Trinamul Congress and BJP in a Birbhum village were 17-year-old Tausif Sheikh, and two others said to be Trinamul supporters, Sheikh Suleman and Muzammil Haque.
Local villagers alleged that Trinamul supporters along with a large number of hired criminals had attacked Makra. “We were Trinamul supporters but now we have joined the BJP. Trinamul leaders consider us enemies,” a resident said.
Rejecting the charges, Trinamul secretary general Partha Chatterjee said: “The communal, rioter BJP has unleashed terror in the state,” he said.
Trinamul Congress Birbhum district president Anubrata Mondal alleged that the victims were murdered by BJP supporters. “These villagers were earlier CPM supporters. After the Lok Sabha elections, they joined the BJP and are attacking our party workers,” he said.
BJP Birbhum district president Dudh Kumar Mondal alleged that two of the victims, Suleman and Muzammil were not locals. They had come from Dubrajpur block more than 20 km away, he said.
