Security in West Bengal’s Uttar Dinajpur has been beefed up after Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha called for a 12-hour general strike in Islampur following the death of one of its party workers. BJYM state president Indranil Khan claimed that a party worker from Uttar Dinajpur’s Islampur was stabbed to death at his shop. BYJM blamed the Trinamool Congress (TMC) for the death of its party leader. Surajit Sen, BJP District vice-president, Uttar Dinajpur said on Saturday, a cloth dealer was stabbed to death for protesting against some goons, associated with TMC. He said the goons were demanding money from the deceased.
Sen said, “Yesterday, a cloth dealer was stabbed to death for protesting against some goons associated with TMC who were demanding money from him. He died before reaching the hospital. We have called for a general strike in the Islampur area. We have requested locals in Islampur to support the strike”
#WATCH | West Bengal: Security heightened in Uttar Dinajpur’s Islampur area as a 12 hours general strike has been called by BJYM in Islampur.
BJYM State president Indranil Khan claims that a party worker from Uttar Dinajpur’s Islampur was stabbed to death at his shop. pic.twitter.com/EXlu1wBNwU
— ANI (@ANI) July 23, 2023
Bengal has been witnessing violence since the announcement of the Panchayat Elections 2023.
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose lamented the violence that marred the conduct of the panchayat elections, saying that he was “very disturbed” with what he saw on the ground. Speaking to news agency ANI after polling for panchayats ended, the West Bengal governor said, “What I have seen on the ground is very disturbing, there is violence and murder.”
According to the news agency PTI, the violence on polling day claimed 12 lives, amid reports of bombs being hurled, and ballot boxes destroyed.
“…One thing I have noticed is that it is the poor people who get killed, the killers are also poor…we should kill poverty but instead we’re killing the poor…this is not what Bengal deserves,” ANI quoted Bose as saying.