A Trinamool Congress MLA was shot dead at point-blank range on Saturday night in Phulbari, 120 kilometres from Kolkata during an event on the eve of Saraswati Puja.
The victim, Satyajit Biswas legislator from Krishnagunj in the Nadia district in West Bengal.
Police suspect that he was shot by miscreants, reports Indian Express. They added that investigations are underway. Biswas was shot when he was coming down from the dais after lighting the ceremonial diya. He was then immediately taken to the hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.
#Trinamool MLA Satyajit Biswas, 37, #shot dead moments after he lit a lamp at a Saraswati Puja event hosted by a club called 'Amra Shobai' which means 'all of us' at Majhdia in #Nadia district, 125 Km from Kolkata. #Bloody #Battle for #Bengal #Foretold ? pic.twitter.com/szKtF4B9i3
— Monideepa Banerjie (@Monideepa62) February 9, 2019
According to reports, the police have found a firearm which they suspect to be the murder weapon. They also said that they suspect the murder weapon to belong to two people whom they had spotted earlier on the premises, reports Bangalore Mirror.
The TMC has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of the killing.
"It is planned murder by BJP. Minister Ratna Ghosh, Satyajit and I were invited as a guest for the programme. On a personal level he was like a son to me, he had recently got married. He was also a part of Matua Sangha and BJP were not able to attract Matua voters because of him. We will not let his death go in vain," TMC District President Gouri Sankar Dutta was quoted as saying by Indian Express.
"It was a pre-planned murder by the BJP. They have hired goo goons to carry out the murder," the Anubrata Mondal, party in-charge in Nadia district said, reports Bangalore Mirror.
However, BJP refuted the claims, calling the allegations baseless.
"This is extremely unfortunate, he was a known leader. Even in Joynagar, we have seen MLA was attacked and had a narrow escape recently. Every time they name BJP and later it comes out to be their factional feud. All anti-social people are part of TMC. Let there be a CBI probe and things will be clear", BJP State President Dilip Ghosh said.
West Bengal Congress President Somen Mitra condoled the killing of Biswas telling that the state was full of "lawlessness and chaos".
"The chief minister claims that law and order is good in West Bengal, but this incident shows the true condition...It's complete lawlessness and chaos that are prevailing in Bengal. We demand the CM give an explanation on how could a sitting MLA be murdered," Mita said.
