BJP faces uphill battle against TMC in by-elections
Tomorrow, six legislative Assembly constituencies in West Bengal are set for by-elections, with the ruling Trinamul Congress (TMC) facing off against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Bipadtaran Bagdi (36) died when a gas cylinder burst during the refilling of gas balloons in Ahmedpur in Sainthia of Birbhum district. The incident has created a stir as the incident has occurred in the house of a civil volunteer of Ahmedpur Police Outpost, Durga Prasad Bhattacharya. Local villagers vandalised Bhattacharya’s house after staging an agitation. Later Sainthia and Ahmedpur Police rushed to the site with a huge police force. The agitators also heckled Saber Ali Khan, the TMC Block President of Sainthia when he reached the site. The civic volunteer in question stays in Birsa village and is engaged in selling of gas balloons besides working as a civic police volunteer.
He has called the youth to fill the gas in the balloons when the blast occurred. The deceased was immediately taken to Sainthia Block Primary Hospital where the doctors pronounced him brought dead. Villagers have alleged that safety rules are flouted as he works as a civic police in the Ahmedpur Police Outpost. They have also alleged that he did not have the requisite license to fill gas from the cylinders at his home. After the blast the civic volunteer Durga Prasad Bhattacharya has fled away. The villagers have demanded compensation for the victim and arrest of Bhattacharya. So far Birbhum District Police has not issued any official statement on this issue.
The body of the victim has been sent for post mortem. Heavy police picket is posted in the village. The situation is very tense. Sainthia Police Station has started investigations and a case has been registered. The house has been cordoned by the police. Locals said that they heard a loud cracking sound and crying of a person after that. When they rushed in they saw that the youth was badly injured. They rescued him and admitted to nearby hospital. Several hundreds of villagers gathered at the house and vandalised it in anger.
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