According to police, Hafizur Sheikh was playing carrom with his neighbours near his house near the National Highway on Saturday evening when a group of 10-12 men came on motorbikes and started firing indiscriminately. Sheikh, who was injured in the firing, was chased by the group of men and hacked to death, said sources. Villagers claimed that some of the assailants were in khaki uniforms, impersonating police personnel.
Alleging police inaction and demanding swift action against the killers, the residents of the area and Hafizur’s family members demonstrated for over two hours and did not allow the police to take the body. The body was later sent for post-mortem examination.
Suku Sheikh, one of the brothers of the deceased who won a seat in Devgram panchayat on a CPI(M) ticket but now identifies himself as a TMC supporter, said Hafizur was killed in a “planned manner”. “My brother was killed in a planned manner. Police knew everything but did nothing,” said Suku.
Police, however, denied the charge, saying no written complaint was lodged by the family till late Saturday night and they had no prior information of any threat to Hafizur.
“Politics has nothing to do with this incident. After a preliminary investigation, we believe that the attack was due to personal enmity,” said a police officer, adding “attempts are being made to nab the assailants”.
BJP’s Uttar Nadia unit president Arjun Biswas, who visited the area and met Hafizur’s family, alleged that TMC goons were behind the murder. “Many people from the village have joined the BJP under the leadership of Zainuddin Mollah alias Baga, which is why Hafizur has been murdered,” claimed Biswas.
Hafizur’s brother, Zainuddin Molla, claimed they were associated with the CPI(M) during last year’s panchayat elections but joined the BJP before the Lok Sabha elections.
TMC MLA from Kaliganj, Nasiruddin Ahmed, also denied BJP’s charges and said: “This is not a political incident. Police are investigating. Only when the culprits are arrested, the real reason behind the murder will be understood.”
Local TMC leader Rukbanur Rahman, however, blamed family feud behind the murder.
Kaliganj, which falls under Krishnanagar Lok Sabha constituency, had voted on May 13 during the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections.
Meanwhile, in North 24 Parganas district, police imposed prohibitory orders in Sandeshkhali following incidents of violence on Saturday during the seventh and final phase of polling.
The district administration has imposed Section 144 of the CrPC that prohibits assembly of four and more persons in Bayarmari, Rajbari, Hatgacho Sarberia, Kanmari area till Tuesday (June 4) evening – when the counting of votes is likely to be completed, said Superintendent of Police Hossain Mehendi Rahman.
On Saturday, several areas in Sandeshkhali Bermazur, Bayarmari, Agarhati, and Kanmari — witnessed violence and clashes, forcing the police to resort to lathicharge at some places. A police sub-inspector was beaten by a group of political workers and has been hospitalised. A BJP worker was also injured allegedly in the police lathicharge. The Election Commission has sought an action taken report from the local administration.
Earlier this year, Sandeshkhali, which falls in the Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency, witnessed protests by residents against local TMC strongman Shahjahan Sheikh and his associates accusing them of land grabbing and sexually harassing women.
Late Saturday night, four men, reportedly associated with the BJP, were beaten up at a kirtan event at Pandabeshwar in Durgapur. All the four have been admitted to Durgapur Sub-Divisional Hospital.
Nitai Bauri, a representative of Bhumiputra Adhikar Manch, which organised the kirtan, said, “It was not a political dispute. It was a dispute over a kirtan program in a neighborhood. Political rights are democratic rights. This was a conflict between two neighbourhoods.”
Police also ruled out any political angle to the incident.
“The dispute was between two neighbourhoods. The situation has been brought under control,” said a police officer.
Sources said there was a kirtan ceremony at Bazari Shonpur area in Pandabeshwar when a scuffle broke out between people of two areas — Badyakar and Bauri. It has been alleged that the four “BJP workers” had gone to the spot to settle a village dispute when a group of TMC supporters also joined in, leading to a minor clash. In the seventh phase of the Lok Sabha elections, voting was held in nine constituencies in Bengal. The total turnout in the seventh phase in the seats was around 69.8 per cent.
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