TMC leader shot dead in East Burdwan

Zahir Sheikh (45), Trinamool Congress leader and president of Ketugram I Gram Panchayat in East Burdwan was shot dead by unknown criminals late on Wednesday evening.

No one has been arrested in this connection yet. Senior police officers have rushed to the spot and investigation has begun. A massive man hunt is on for the criminals.

According to the police, the victim was on his way home from the party office when, near Raikha, some criminals accosted him and

before he could run for his life, they fired at him from a point-blank range.

They fled the spot leaving Sheikh on the road lying in a pool of blood. Alarmed by the noise of gunshot, villagers rushed to the spot and found Sheikh lying on the road. They rushed him to the hospital where he was declared brought dead. A large police contingent went to the spot and began investigation. The cause of murder is yet to be ascertained. Preliminary investigation revealed that political rivalry might have led to his murder. Senior Trinamool Congress leaders visited the area and condemned the killing. They alleged that CPI(M) and BJP had formed an alliance and were trying to create trouble before the Panchayat election scheduled in 2018. CPI(M) and BJP were regularly attempting to scare people and trying to project as if law and order situation had deteriorated in rural Bengal. They said a high-level meeting would be held to condemn the politics of murder.