Trinamool Congress leader murdered in West Bengal: Spate of retaliation and a political blame game unfolds

A local Trinamool Congress leader, Saifuddin Laskar, the area president of Bamungachi in Joynagar, was fatally shot on Monday morning near his residence in South 24 Parganas, West Bengal. Soon after in a spate of spontaneous retaliation, a group of individuals allegedly lynched one of the suspects to death. Several houses in the area were torched, and a political blame game ensued between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the CPIM.

The Trinamool leadership has alleged that Laskar was murdered by local CPIM workers. Saifuddin Laskar was pronounced dead by the doctors upon being rushed to a nearby hospital. In the aftermath of Laskar's demise, one of the suspects was lynched to death. Daluakhali village witnessed a spate of violence that included ransacking, looting, and setting several houses on fire. Some residents of Daluakhali, who identify as CPI-M supporters, alleged that they were specifically targeted, physically assaulted, and that their homes were set ablaze. Moreover, they claimed that the police were present during the incident, yet fire engines were allegedly obstructed from extinguishing the flames.

Sharpening his attack on the TMC leadership and refuting the said allegations, CPIM leader Sujan Chakraborty said, “The murder of Saifuddin Laskar is the result of internal strife within the TMC, it is no use blaming the CPIM.” He also urged the police to probe into the incident and ‘unravel the conspiracy.’

A case has been registered and an investigation is on. The police said that one person has been arrested in connection to Laskar’s murder.​