Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata

Kolkata, Jul 26: A Trinamool Congress (TMC) worker, Pratik Pal (43), died on Friday night from injuries sustained in a brutal attack earlier this week in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district. The incident occurred in Rejinagar on July 21, when Pal was ambushed by a group of miscreants wielding iron rods and hammers while returning home.

He suffered critical injuries to his head, arms, and legs and was admitted to Murshidabad Medical College Hospital, where he battled for life before succumbing.

Pal’s family has named six individuals in a complaint filed at the Rejinagar police station. His brother, Paritosh Pal, accused BJP worker Sagar Biswas and others of targeting Pratik due to a previous political clash during the 2023 panchayat elections. According to him, a past police complaint lodged by the family had allegedly cost Biswas a government job, prompting repeated threats and eventually leading to the attack.

Murshidabad Superintendent of Police Sunny Raj confirmed that an investigation is underway. “We are looking into all possible motives,” he stated.

However, BJP’s South Murshidabad district general secretary Laltu Das claimed the accused had already joined the TMC. “This is the result of infighting between TMC factions. BJP has no role in it,” he said.

TMC leader Ashok Das blamed the BJP, accusing the party of inciting violence ahead of the assembly polls. He urged the police to act swiftly and arrest the culprits.

The incident comes close on the heels of another TMC worker’s murder in Bharatpur, also in Murshidabad, underscoring the district’s volatile political climate.