The TMC worker Mintu Sheikh, 50, was found dead on Monday morning in Ketugram when polling was underway. The family has alleged that Mintu was killed due to infighting within the party, though the TMC has blamed CPI(M) for the murders. The local residents have demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the murder.
The police said Mintu was on his way home on Sunday night on his two-wheeler with his friend Misir Sheik when some people hurled three crude bombs at them and then stabbed him with sharp weapons. Mintu died on the spot, while Misir succumbed to injuries later. The police arrested two men, identified as Bhulan Sheikh and Samsur Sheikh, in connection with the murders.
Speaking to The Indian Express, East Bardhaman Superintendent of Police Amandeep said, “Two people have been killed. Mintu Sheikh was a history-sheeter and a notorious criminal. Prima facie, the motive seems to be rivalry. A murder case has been lodged under the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Explosive Substances Act. We have not found any bullet injury yet. The body has been sent for post-mortem.”
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has sought a report on the murders from the district administration.
The situation remained tense in Mintu’s village, Chechuri, as not many people turned up to vote, but a large crowd gathered outside the victim’s house. Although the central forces were manning the polling booth, there was no police presence near the murder spot or the deceased’s house.
The polling agents and presiding officers were not willing to talk. However, on condition of anonymity, one of the polling officers said in the afternoon, “There has been no disturbance; however, the turnout is low. Only a few people have come to vote so far.”
According to the presiding officer of the local polling booth, only 30 per cent of the votes in the area had been cast by 2 pm.
The residents said they were boycotting voting because of the brutal murder of Mintu. “He was an active TMC worker, and he was killed just ahead of the vote; it is a political murder. Our own has been killed. None of us will vote,” said Rubiya Bibi, a villager.
Another resident, Rahul S, Heikh claimed that Mintu was very active, especially regarding polls. He used to ask people if they had voted or not, said Rahul.
“80 per cent of the people in this area were his supporters, and they would listen to him only, so he was killed a night before the vote. Now, none of us want to go and vote,” he said.
Mintu’s wife Tuhina Bibi, 38, surrounded by many women, looked inconsolable. “He was an active TMC worker for years. The other faction wanted him dead before the elections. Contract killers were hired to kill my husband. Local TMC leaders are involved in this. No big leader came to our house. His voice mattered in the area,” she said.
Mintu’s son Jeet alias Ghulam Murtaza alleged that his father had been getting threats for a long time. “The police have been of no help. They took my father’s body after midnight. I have been getting threats from people who I suspect are behind my father’s death. My father has been getting threats for quite some time. Some people didn’t want him to grow bigger in the political circle,” said Jeet.
“They hurled bombs targetting them. My father and his friend ran to opposite sides. They shot at him and then stabbed him multiple times to confirm his death,” added Jeet.
Suriya Bibi, the youngest sister of the deceased, also said the TMC was behind the murder.
“Just hours before the vote, they killed my brother. Sadly, it is his own party’s men who conspired to his murder. They were so much hatred in their mind that they stabbed him multiple times to confirm his death. I feel bad for my brother he worked for the TMC for all these years. What kind of party it is if it can’t stand by its own people,” said Suriya Bibi.
“My uncle was killed with bombs; they were chased and stabbed to death. No police have come to the village yet. It is the TMC which planned and killed my uncle,” said the victim’s nephew Mohammed Raj.
The TMC, however, blamed the CPI(M) for the murder. In a post on X, it said, “Taking a page out of their 34-year reign of violence and bloodshed, CPI(M) harmads brutally killed our party worker in Ketugram. Mintu Sheikh was on his way home after election duties when he was stopped, brutally hacked and bombed to death. After being wiped out of Bengal, CPI(M), now empowered by the BJP, has a singular agenda: to bring back the dark days by terrorising people. We urge @ECISVEEP to take immediate action!”
TMC spokesperson Prosenjit Das also denied infighting and said, “The CPI(M) workers and their goons understood that they would not win the election this time and resorted to violence. As Sheikh was a dedicated worker of our party, the CPIM targeted him. There is no party infighting here,” said Das.
CPI(M) leader Achintya Mallick said, “We are not in power, nor do we believe in politics of violence and murder. His wife has already said it is TMC’s infighting behind the murder. We are not strong in Ketugram.”