Kolkata, Nov 15 (IANS) Political tension gripped Panihati in the North 24 Parganas district on Sunday following the death of a local Bharatiya Janata Party worker, who suffered fatal injuries while trying to intervene in a market dispute.
The incident has triggered internal discord within the party, with local BJP MLA Ratna Debnath publicly criticising the party’s district leadership and demanding intervention from Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari over deteriorating law and order.
According to local sources, the sequence of events began on Saturday when Ruma Saha, secretary of the BJP’s Panihati-1 Mandal, attempted to stop a group from beating a businessman in the market area. Ruma reported that she and her husband, Arup Saha, who was also an active BJP worker, were subsequently abused and assaulted by individuals.
Arup Saha sustained severe injuries during the altercation and was rushed to Sagar Dutta Hospital on Saturday night. He succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment on Sunday. Ruma Saha alleged that the attackers included individuals who had recently defected to the BJP from the Trinamool Congress.
The tragedy prompted sharp criticism from local MLA Ratna Debnath, who openly vented her anger against BJP North Kolkata Suburbs President Chandicharan Roy. Debnath questioned the party’s internal coordination and accused the district leadership of appointing ward conveners without consulting local representatives.
“District President Chandicharan Roy has appointed conveners of his choice in various wards of Panihati. Most of them have joined the BJP from Trinamool,” Debnath alleged, pointing fingers at the Panihati Mandal-1 youth president and other local functionaries for fostering internal friction.
Recounting the incident, Ruma Saha stated that she had initially tried to diffuse an argument between youths in the market on Saturday evening before returning home. Shortly after, she received word of a renewed disturbance and returned to the scene with her husband, where the confrontation escalated.
“When I tried to calm the situation, Payal and Raja Tahsildar rushed towards me. My husband saw this and protested. Then Raja Tahsildar and some others pushed him away,” Ruma said. She added that upon returning home, her husband fell severely ill and lost consciousness.
A formal complaint of assault has been lodged against the president of the BJP Yuva Morcha of Panihati-1 Mandal and several others. Law enforcement officials have not yet reported any arrests or detentions in connection with the incident, and other senior district BJP leaders have declined to comment on the internal dispute.
–IANS
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