TMC worker brutally murdered, FIR lodged against Cong’s Manas Bhuniya

Joydeb Jana, Trinamool Congress booth president of Dubrajpur, was beaten to death allegedly by CPI(M) and Congress supporters in Sabang late on Friday night.

Nine persons are arrested so far with the prime accused Gautam Karan still absconding. FIRs were lodged against 22 persons including Congress candidate from Sabang Assembly constituency Manas Bhuniya with Dubrajpur police station.

Trinamool Congress on Saturday demanded arrest of Manas Bhuniya for his alleged involvement in the murder.

Uday Dinda, a Trinamool Congress worker, who witnessed the incident, said that the incident took place when they were returning after attending a rally in support of the party’s candidate Nirmal Ghosh. The Trinamool Congress workers went to attend the rally on three motorbikes including one of Jana. They had left their motorbike near Mupukur Kalimandir. While returning, two others had started their motorbikes and went ahead while Jana was starting his two-wheeler when the accused attacked.

They sprayed chilli powder in his eyes and he fell on the ground from the motorbike after being pushed. All 30 to 40 CPI(M) and Congress workers started beating him up with logs, iron rods and swords. “We went a bit ahead on two motorbikes, when we heard his cry for help. They chased us when we tried to approach the spot. We were outnumbered by the accused and they also had plans to beat us up. So we went to inform other party supporters. Returning to the spot we found him lying unconscious with injuries all over his body,” said Dinda.

Dinda had seen that the accused didn’t even allow a local woman Gita Malakar to give water to Jana when he was taking his last breath.

Narrating the incident, Dinda said that the accused smashed his head with heavy concrete chunks when he fell unconscious.

Later supporters of Trinamool Congress took him to a local doctor, who declared him brought dead. The body was sent to Kharagpur Hospital for an autopsy.

A pall of gloom descended in the area. Local people staged a demonstration demanding immediate arrest of the accused person. The Trinamool Congress supporters and local women held rally in the area protesting against the incident.

Manashi Jana, the victim’s wife, today alleged “My husband had been receiving threats from Bhuniya for the past few days and there is no one apart from CPI(M) and Congress workers behind the crime.” Local residents got infuriated with the statement of Bhuniya when he said that Jana was a criminal and a drunkard.

Reacting sharply Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee cautioned everyone against the CPI(M)’s threat that not merely change but revenge against TMC would be taken if voted back to power. Urging TMC workers to maintain cool and not to get provoked by the statements made by CPI(M) leaders, she said: “Mohammad Selim’s statement of taking revenge had incited  party cadres  and the murder of Jena was its fallout.” Talking to the press at Trinamool Bhavan, TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee echoed Banerjee’s voice and said that Selim and CPI(M) state secretary Suryakanta Misra were inciting people.” They are trying to bring back the politics of violence and murder. TMC will protest politically,” he said while addressing a press conference at Trinamool bhavan on Saturday afternoon.