Trinamool Congress leader set on fire in Cooch Behar

The district Trinamool Congress leaders have alleged the involvement of BJP in the attack. According to the police, the incident took place at Bakshirhat area of Cooch Behar on late Saturday night.

The victim, Mahiruddin Mia, was returning home from the local party office on his motorcycle at around 11 pm, when some miscreants stopped him on his way.

The miscreants hurled a petrol bomb at the bike and it caught fire due to the incident. They then overpowered the victim and sprayed petrol on his body.

Without wasting any time, the miscreants then set him on fire. Attracted by the screams of the victim, the local residents rushed to the spot to his rescue. They doused the flames with a help of a blanket.

The victim, however, had received critical injuries in the attack. The incident has triggered tension among the local residents.

He was rushed to a local primary health centre and later shifted to a private hospital, where he has been undergoing treatment. The miscreants had fled from the spot before the local people arrived.

According to the hospital doctors, his condition is stated to be serious. According to the police, the victim was a booth president of Trinamool Congress and he had been instrumental in the victory of Trinamool Congress in the area.

The district Trinamool Congress leaders said that some local BJP leaders were unleashing a reign of terror since the election took place.

A few incidents of clashes between BJP and Trinamool Congress have taken place in the past few days. It is speculated that BJP leaders might have engaged professional criminals to murder the victim. Trinamool Congress districts leaders have demanded immediate arrest of the attackers.

Local BJP leaders have, however, denied the allegation and termed it as result of factional feud within Trinamool Congress. Police have started a detailed probe in this regard. Raids are being conducted to nab the culprits.