The Criminal investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal made the first arrest in the case of the alleged killing of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker Trilochan Mahato on Sunday.
According to reports, the sleuths of the investigation agency arrested a 45-year-old man identified as Punjabi Mahato from the village Supradihi in Purulia district – the same village where Trilochan used to live.
Punjabi’s arrest comes three weeks after the body of 18-year-old Trilochan was found hanging from a tree near his village. Trilochan’s body was found with a chilling message on his T-shirt: “Punished for working with BJP”.
Reports say that a murder case was initiated based on a complaint lodged by Hariram Mahato, the father of Trilochan. Hariram has moved the Calcutta High Court seeking a CBI probe into the murder case.
Three days after Trilochan’s body was found, the body of 32-year-old Dulal Kumar was found hanging from a high-tension tower in Dabha village of Purulia district.
The BJP has accused the ruling Trinamool Congress government in the state of trying to instil fear by killing and exhibiting the bodies of BJP workers in Purulia district.
BJP Rajya Sabha member Roopa Ganguly had on 18 June accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of spreading fear in the region.
“This exhibition is to make it clear to all the residents of the area that if you work for BJP, this will be the consequence. Mamata Banerjee has been spreading this fright in that area,” said Ganguly.
According to her, three BJP workers have been murdered and their bodies exhibited by hanging them.
The Trinamool has, however, denied its involvement in the incidents.
On 19 June, the BJP launched its country wide campaign against the TMC’s “state sponsored terror”. The saffron party organised demonstrations and rallies in different parts of the state demanding justice for the deaths of its two workers.
The BJP on Monday also organised a rally in front of Banga Bhavan in Delhi to protest against the deaths of two young activists.
(With agency inputs.)