Bengal BJP observes bandh to protest party leader's killing, CID takes over probe

BJP activists on Monday put up road blockades in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district as part of a 12-hour Barrackpore bandh called by it to protest the killing of a party leader.The BJP workers burnt tyres and blocked major thoroughfares such as Barrackpore-Barasat Road and Kalyani Expressway, bringing traffic to a complete halt in the area.

A large posse of policemen have been posted at various places in Barrackpore where the protests are taking place, an officer said.

BJP leader and local councillor Manish Sukla was shot dead on Sunday by two bike-borne assailants near Titagarh, police said.

The state police also urged people not to draw any conclusion in the death case until the investigation is over.

"Irresponsible comments on social media tantamount to interference in the investigation. Please refrain from this," it said.

According to sources, the investigation has been handed over to the CID and its sleuths visited the Titagarh Police Station.A BJP delegation led by party's national vice- president Mukul Roy and national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya went to Titagarh to meet family members of Sukla.

The BJP leadership blamed the Trinamool Congress for the incident, but the ruling party has rubbished the accusation.

"It is shameful that the TMC has now started politics of annihilation of political opponents. We don't have any faith in local police as this happened in front of the police station. We want a CBI inquiry," BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said.

BJP MP Arjun Singh also held the TMC responsible for Sukla's killing and claimed that shots were fired at him from a carbine. Senior TMC leader Nirmal Ghosh said the incident was a result of infighting within the BJP and allegations against his party were baseless.

Another BJP delegation led by party's national secretary Arvind Menon went to the NRS Medical College and Hospital here to have a look at the body of Sukla. The saffron party workers were seen jostling with police personnel after they were not allowed to enter the facility.

Later, some senior BJP leaders were allowed to go into the hospital, a police officer said. Meanwhile, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday slammed the state administration after the home secretary, and the DGP failed to turn up, disregarding his summons over the killing of the BJP leader in the district.

However, Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay met the governor.

Dhankhar said he raised his concern over law and order situation in the state during the meeting with the chief secretary.

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