West Bengal: BJP Enforces 'Bandh' To Protest Leader's Murder

The abduction and murder of a BJP booth president, Bijoy Krishna Bhunia, allegedly by Trinamool goons at Moyna in Purba Midnapore district has triggered widespread protests. 

Bhunia, 60, was allegedly accosted while he was returning home along with his wife and son Monday (1 May) evening allegedly by Trinamool workers. They reportedly beat up Bhunia in front of his wife and son and took him away forcibly 

Local people rushed to the spot on hearing cries of Lakshmi Bhunia (wife of Bijoy Krishna) and launched a search. They later complained to the police. Bijoy Krishna’s body was found later with his head smashed. 

The incident, coming on the second anniversary of the horrific violence after the 2021 Assembly polls in Bengal where nearly one hundred BJP workers were killed or maimed, many women raped and thousands driven away from their homes, has triggered widespread protests. 

While the widow of the slain BJP leader has filed a police complaint naming 34 Trinamool workers, his son Prasenjit moved the Calcutta High Court Tuesday (2 May) seeking a CBI probe into the murder. The High Court has admitted the petition.

BJP workers staged sporadic protests by blocking roads and highways in the district throughout Tuesday (2 May). Leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikary has called for a 12-hour bandh at Moyna Wednesday (3 May).

He demanded that an autopsy on the body of Saha be conducted at a hospital run by a federal organisation. 

Accusing the pole of complicity, BJP MLA from Moyna, Ashoke Dinda, said that the police did not make any effort to trace Bhunia even after local people and his family complained of the abduction. They (the police) also did not inform Bhunia's family about where they recovered his body from. 

Bhunia's family was informed only after the body was taken to Tamluk hospital by the police. Dinda accused the police of trying to hush up the case and protect Trinamool goons responsible for the murder. 

Meanwhile, state BJP leaders organised a shradhanjali programme, Tuesday, to pay homage to party workers who were murdered by Trinamool goons in the run up and after the declaration of results of the 2021 Assembly polls.