Miscreant stabs 28-year-old man in Raiganj
Raiganj: A youth, Ashim Saha (28), who was an employee of a cloth shop at Bridge Vasti in Islampur of North Dinajpur district was stabbed to death by a miscreant on Saturday. BJP members claimed that the deceased was a member of Yuba Morcha, youth wing of BJP. In protest, the BJP called a 12-hour bandh in Islampur on Sunday. One person has been arrested in connection with the alleged murder.
On Saturday, two youths riding a bike visited a garment store of one Ratan Saha at Bridge Vasti, in Islampur. They demanded money from Saha and when he refused to pay the amount, an altercation ensued. In the meantime, Ashim Saha, the relative of the shop owner, and another youth of the locality chased them. However, immediately, the miscreant launched an attack with a knife in which Ashim Saha received serious injuries on his chest and neck.
Locals rescued him to Islampur sub-divisional hospital. Later he was shifted to a nursing home in Islampur but he succumbed to injuries on Saturday. With the news of his death, tension gripped the locality and a large police contingent was posted in the area.
“Ashim Saha was a leader of the BJP youth wing Yuba Morcha. His killing was politically motivated. We demand police provide security to common people,” claimed Surajit Sen, vice-president of North Dinajpur BJP committee. The president of North Dinajpur TMC committee, Kanaiyalal Agarwal said: “BJP is trying to give the incident a political colour. It was a scuffle over money transaction which led to the murder. Police were investigating the matter.”
Kartick Chandra Mandal, additional superintendent of police of Islampur police district said: “Preliminary investigation shows that there was a money transaction behind this killing. The accused anti-social person was arrested immediately. Further investigation is on.”
The police claimed that the murder was not politically motivated. One Md Sohail was arrested against the charge of killing. Sunday’s strike has evoked a mixed response.
On Saturday, BJP supporters had blocked National Highway 31 near Bridge Vasti in Islampur for an hour in the evening, following the incident. With the intervention of police, the blockade was lifted.
