The Superintendent of Police of Birbhum, Nagendra Nath Tripathi, has been removed from his post and replaced by Bhaskar Mukherjee, SP of Sundarbans Police District after two Trinamul Congress supporters died after a crude bomb attack last night at Margram.

While one of the victims, Newton Sheikh (25) succumbed to his injuries on the spot, the other injured, Laltu Sheikh, died at SSKM Hospital in Kolkata this evening.

Advertisement

Laltu Sheikh passed away shortly after Trinamul Congress Birbhum observer and state minister Firhad Hakim went to see him at SSKM Hospital.

Last night’s incident took place barely 72 hours after the visit of chief minister Mamata Banerjee to Birbhum district. While, Newton Sheikh (25) succumbed to his injuries at the spot, Laltu Sheikh had been admitted at Rampurhat Medical College Hospital, then shifted to NMCH and ultimately to SSKM in Kolkata.

Laltu Sheikh’s elder brother is the TMC gram panchayat pradhan, Bhutto Sheikh.

According to local sources, there was an old turf war between two rival groups.

Yesterday at around 10 p.m, when the two victims were sitting near the Margram PHC More, the rival group supporters attacked them after a hot altercation.

Both were taken to Rampurhat Medical College Hospital, where Newton Sheikh was pronounced brought dead by the doctors.

After the incident, the supporters of the victim torched the houses of the persons suspected to be involved in the incident.

Both the Margram-1 and Margram 2 gram panchayat are under TMC at present.

Earlier today, outgoing Birbhum Police superintendent Nagendra Tripathi said that so far six persons have been arrested, including the main accused, Sujauddin. Raids are still continuing and investigations are going on, the SP added.

The wife of Laltu Sheikh has alleged that Zahir Sheikh of the rival camp instigated the attack. Mr. Moloy Mukherjee, district vice president of the TMC said that police should take strong actions against those people who have hurled bombs at Trinamul Congress supporters.

The situation in the village is tense. A huge police force has been posted since the morning.

The family members of the victims said that the rival group members were earlier in the BJP but has recently joined the Congress. Koustav Bagchi, Congress leader denied the allegations. He said that Congress does not have strong organisation in Birbhum. Instead it is a turf war of two rival groups of Birbhum before the upcoming panchayat polls, he said.

The chief minister during her recent visit said that from now onwards in absence of party district president Anubrata Mondal she will look into the district with the assistance of Firhad Hakim and core district committee members.

Every six months she will visit Birbhum , the CM has said.

Anubrata Mondal, the Trinamul Congress’ Birbhum district president, is at present lodged in jail in Asansol in the cross border cattle smuggling case