Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) social media convener for the Mathurapur constituency in South 24-Parganas, Prithviraj Naskar (33), was found murdered late on Friday night. Police discovered his mutilated body inside the BJP party office at Dipar More, under Usti police station jurisdiction.

Prithviraj, a resident of Atpara, had been missing for five days, prompting his family to file a missing person report at Usti police station on Thursday. Despite police efforts, they were initially unable to locate him, though his phone remained active, intensifying the mystery surrounding his disappearance.

Family members, suspecting foul play, noticed something wrapped in cloth through the office window and immediately informed the police. Around 1 am, police arrived and found Prithviraj’s bloodied body inside the locked party office. His body was wrapped in cloth, and it was taken to Diamond Harbour Medical College Hospital for post-mortem examination. The site of discovery is approximately 1 kilometre from Prithviraj’s residence, raising questions about how such a brutal act could occur unnoticed. Police are investigating whether he was killed elsewhere and his body later brought to the party office. Prithviraj was known for his close association with Ashok Purkait, BJP’s former Mathurapur Lok Sabha candidate.

The family alleged that he had been a target by Trinamul Congress (TMC) operatives due to his political affiliations, claiming that he was abducted and murdered in a planned attack orchestrated by TMC goons. BJP leaders in Mathurapur have echoed these accusations, pointing to Prithviraj’s growing prominence within BJP ranks as a possible motive.

BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar condemned the incident, alleging that the TMC had been oppressing BJP workers across South 24-Parganas, particularly in post-election violence. He claimed that the murder reflected chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s fear of BJP’s rising influence, vowing to ensure the safety of BJP workers in the state.

The Trinamul Congress however has denied allegations, rejecting any involvement in Prithviraj’s murder.