West Bengal BJP Worker Killed in Post-Poll Violence: Shot and Hacked to Death

On Saturday evening, a 35-year-old BJP worker named Hafizur Sheikh was killed by unidentified assailants in the Nadia district of West Bengal as the final phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections concluded. Hafizur, who had recently switched allegiances from CPI(M) to BJP, was attacked while playing carrom with neighbors by the side of a national highway in Pacha Chandpur, Kaliganj.

Witnesses reported that the assailants, some disguised in khaki uniforms resembling police attire, initially shot Hafizur. As he attempted to flee, they chased him, continuing to shoot and ultimately hacking him to death.Following the murder, Hafizur’s relatives and local residents protested overnight with his body, accusing the police of inaction.

However, police officials refuted these claims, stating that no formal complaint had been lodged until late at night. Hafizur’s wife, Sakhi Bibi, expressed her anguish, questioning who would now take care of their children. Suku Sheikh, Hafizur’s elder brother and a TMC supporter who previously held a CPI(M) panchayat seat, claimed the murder was premeditated and accused the police of negligence.

Another brother, Zainuddin Molla, also a former CPI(M) member who joined the BJP before the elections, suggested that their political shift was the motive behind the attack.The incident occurred in the Krishnanagar Lok Sabha constituency, an area with a significant Muslim population where the CPI(M) has seen a resurgence.

BJP’s Nadia North organisational district president, Arjun Biswas, visited the scene, indicating that many villagers had joined the BJP under Zainuddin Molla’s leadership, implying this as a reason for Hafizur’s murder. Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s national information and technology department, echoed this sentiment, attributing the killing to the BJP’s electoral success in the area.

Contrarily, the police maintained that the murder stemmed from personal enmity, not political rivalry, and affirmed their efforts to apprehend the attackers. Kaliganj TMC MLA Nasiruddin Ahmed dismissed claims of political motives, emphasizing that the true reason behind the murder would be clear once the perpetrators were caught.

Author:- Apoorva Arora