Two TMC workers killed in alleged factional feud ahead of WB rural polls: Police

Police officials said it was an in fighting between two TMC factions and there was a heated discussion among the party members in the meeting for candidates’ selection

Two Trinamool Congress workers allegedly were shot dead in a clash between two rival factions of the party over candidates’ selection for the upcoming panchayat polls in West Bengal’s Uttar Dinajpur district on Thursday.

Police said they have arrested a person in the case. (Representative file image)

Police said the deceased have been identified as Faizul Rehman (64) and Mohammed Hasu (52).

One person has been injured and police have arrested another.

“It was an in fighting between two TMC factions. My father was a TMC leader in the Dighapana booth committee. On Thursday afternoon, he attended a party meeting with other leaders in the Dighapana party office over the selection of candidates for the panchayat elections. There was a heated discussion among the party members in the meeting. When the meeting was over, some people including Nasir and Salim, both TMC activists belonging to another faction, started firing at them. My father was shot in the chest and died on the spot,” said Mohammed Kadir, son of Faizul Rehman.

“We have arrested one person. Investigation is going on,” said Bishop Sarkar, superintendent of Islampur police district.

Debasree Chaudhuri, BJP MP of Raiganj, alleged that the TMC is hoarding firearms in huge quantities before the panchayat elections.

“If the panchayat elections were held with the state police, there will be a possibility of large-scale violence perpetrated by TMC. To avoid the rerun of 2018 panchayat elections, during which several persons were killed, we demand deployment of central forces during the panchayat elections”, she said.

Kanaiyalal Agarwal, president of the North Dinajpur TMC district committee, said the police have been asked to take strict against the murderers.

“I did not have the information of the meeting that went violent,” he said.