Two TMC workers killed in ‘bomb attack’ in Bengal’s Birbhum; 6 arrested

Sources said the two men were returning home on a motorbike in Rampurhat’s Margram village when a few people hurled a bomb at them and fled. Two of the accused are still at large, the police said.

“The bomb explosion took place at 10 pm on Saturday near Hospital Mod. Trinamool Congress leader Bhutto Sheikh’s brother Laltu and his friend Newton Sheikh were seriously injured in the bomb attack and they were both declared dead later. A case has been registered and an investigation is on,” said a senior police official.

The police have arrested six people in the case, while 15 were named in the FIR filed under various IPC sections, including murder, and under sections of the Explosive Substances Act. “Six people have been arrested in the case,” SP (Birbhum) Nagendra Nath Tripathi told The Indian Express hours before his transfer letter became public.

SP Tripathi will now take over as OSD, West Bengal Police Directorate in the rank of DIG. SP (Sundarban) Bhaskar Mukherjee will assume charge as the new Birbhum SP, while Koteshwar Rao (Anti-Corruption branch) will be posted as Sundarban SP. Though it is referred to as a routine transfer – with the order dated February 4 – many believe the SP has been transferred following the bomb blast.

Soon after the incident, the police conducted searches and arrested the main accused Sujauddin. Five more people were caught on Saturday night. Prima facie, police suspect the bomb was aimed at Laltu in a well-planned attack.

According to the police, the injured were first admitted to Rampurhat Government Medical College Hospital. Later in the night, Laltu was taken to SSKM Hospital where he succumbed. Newton reportedly died on the spot.

The incident has triggered a massive political uproar in West Bengal with the TMC sensing a conspiracy. Senior TMC leader and state Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim said, “It seems there is some conspiracy from outside behind this Margram incident. It is close to the border area. It is close to Jharkhand. Maoists are still active there. The police will investigate and find out who all are behind this incident. There is no political rivalry. It doesn’t look like the work of anyone from the TMC. There could be personal rivalry, but I feel the material which has been used is part of a bigger conspiracy to malign and disturb Bengal.”

Responding to Hakim’s statement, BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh said, “It is foolish on his part to say that it is someone’s conspiracy. Every now and then, such incidents involving the TMC are reported. If the BJP plants all the bombs and the Margram incident was a conspiracy, then who planted the bombs in Basanti? The situation is such in Bengal that if you search Bobby da’s place (referring to Hakim) you will find some explosive raw material.”

TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh stated, “Bengal is a very peaceful place. There are a few local issues that result in such sporadic incidents. The police are taking strong action.”

“The CM recently came and said the district will be run like it has been running even in the absence of Anubrata Mondal, which actually meant that hooliganism will continue. This incident shows that,” senior CPI(M) leader Mohammed Salim said.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had visited the district on February 2 and vowed to take charge of Birbhum district. Her visit was significant as it took place in the wake of the arrest of party district president and Mamata’s trusted lieutenant Anubrata Mondal in a cattle-smuggling case last August.