Police said Hasa Sheikh died at the spot while TMC’s local unit chief Bakul Sheikh and his brother Esaruddin Sheikh were hospitalised with bullet and stab injuries
A worker of West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) was killed while two others were injured when they were attacked at a road inauguration ceremony at Kaliachak in Malda district on Tuesday. Police said Hasa Sheikh died at the spot while TMC’s local unit chief Bakul Sheikh and his brother Esaruddin Sheikh were hospitalised with bullet and stab injuries.
TMC’s local unit chief Bakul Sheikh and his brother Esaruddin Sheikh were hospitalised. (Getty Images)
A video of the attack that surfaced on social media purportedly showed the attackers smashing Hasa Sheikh’s head while he lay motionless on the ground. HT could not verify the authenticity of the video.
A police officer said Bakul Sheikh was inaugurating the road when the attackers fired at him. “Investigation has started and a man has been detained for questioning,” the officer said, requesting anonymity.
As he was being rushed to hospital, Esaruddin Sheikh, a former panchayat head, blamed local party worker Zakir Sheikh, and his followers for the attack.
Local TMC workers said Zakir Sheikh and Bakul Sheikh were earlier with the Congress, which counted Malda as its stronghold until a decade ago.
On January 8, police arrested TMC leader Narendranath Tiwari and Swapan Sharma, who faces criminal cases, in connection with the January 2 murder of Dulal Sarkar, vice-president of the party’s district unit. Tiwari was expelled from the party for six years after his arrest. Police said ₹50 lakh was paid to the contract killers.