TMC leader, wife, daughter killed in Bengal’s Cooch Behar district: Police
A senior police officer of Cooch Behar said that they have arrested two people in connection with the murder and an investigation into the matter has been launched
In West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district on Friday, Bimal Kumar Barman, 68, president of the Trinamool Congress’ (TMC) SC/ST, his wife Neelima Barman, 52, a panchayat-level leader and their 24-year-old daughter Runa Barman were allegedly hacked to death in their house, while the couple’s younger daughter Iti, 22, is battling for her life in the hospital, police said.
A senior police officer of Cooch Behar said that they have arrested three people in connection with the murder and an investigation into the matter has been launched.
“Preliminary investigations suggest that it was a love affair that went wrong,” said a senior police officer of Cooch Behar.
In a separate incident at Hanskhali in Nadia district, a panchayat-level TMC leader Amod Ali Biswas was allegedly shot dead by a gang of masked assailants in the market.
Also Read: TMC leader shot dead in Bengal’s Nadia; 2nd killing on same day
The two incidents triggered a political blame game with the TMC accusing the opposition of triggering violence in the state.
“It was gruesome. A political connection can’t be ruled out as the husband and wife were both TMC leaders,” said Partha Pratim Roy, former TMC MP from Cooch Behar.
“With the panchayat polls approaching, the opposition parties are triggering violence to create lawlessness in the state as they are losing ground. The state government will take strict actions and those behind these attacks won’t be spared,” Sanatanu Sen, TMC MP, told media persons on Friday.
The opposition too stepped up their attack against the ruling TMC and claimed that murders are taking place across the state almost every day since the TMC came to power.
“It seems that miscreants have been given a free hand. The chief minister can’t protect her party workers and leaders who are getting murdered. How can she protect the people?” said Md Salim, Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary.
“The TMC has been divided into factions. With elections coming factional feuds are becoming more frequent for taking control of an area,” Rahul Sinha, senior BJP leader said.
