TMC worker hacked to death in Murshidabad; Family alleges intra-party feud
The Statesman | 25 July 2025
A 54-year-old Trinamul Congress (TMC) worker was allegedly hacked to death late Wednesday night in Bharatpur, Murshidabad district of West Bengal, sparking fresh allegations of intra-party rivalry within the ruling party.
The victim, identified as Shasthi Ghosh, a resident of Selai village under the Alugram Panchayat area, was returning home around 11 p.m. when he was attacked. According to local sources, a scuffle broke out between Ghosh and a group of men on the road. Shortly after, five assailants riding on two motorcycles allegedly ambushed him with sharp weapons, inflicting multiple injuries. Locals rushed to the spot after hearing his cries, but the assailants had fled. Ghosh was taken in a critical condition to the Kandi Super Specialty Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Ghosh’s nephew, Ashish Ghosh, alleged that longstanding factional disputes within the TMC may have led to the murder. “There are two rival factions in the local TMC unit. Plans to eliminate my uncle had been brewing for some time,” he claimed, although he did not name anyone specifically. Apurba Sarkar, TMC’s Murshidabad district president, condemned the killing and said, “Police have already begun investigating the case. No one involved will be spared, regardless of affiliation.” Police launched search operations soon after the attack and began reviewing CCTV footage from the area to identify the attackers. Officials stated that they are probing all possible angles, including political rivalry and personal enmity. This is the third such incident involving TMC workers in Murshidabad in recent weeks. In June, a TMC worker was reportedly bludgeoned to death with bricks inside his home in Samsherganj, while another party worker was shot dead by assailants in Hariharpara.