The 12-hour strike called by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Bagnan in West Bengal’s Howrah district on Thursday witnessed sporadic violence across the region.

The strike was called to protest after local party leader Kinkar Majhi was shot dead in Bagnan last week. The saffron camp had accused the Trinamool Congress-backed miscreants of killing Majhi.

BJP on Thursday alleged that the police had used violence to disrupt their peaceful strike. BJP’s day began with a peace march which was interrupted by local police at the very beginning, leading to a scuffle between police and the party workers.

The situation escalated after BJP MP and Yuba Morcha Chief Saumitra Khan arrived. Reportedly, the police tried to stop him from going to Majhi’s residence. To further intensify their protest, the BJP workers then gheraoed the local police station.

The police had to deploy large batallions Rapid Action Force and Combat Force to disperse the demonstrating crowd. The police further calmed the situation by allowing Khan to pay a visit to Majhi’s house.

Meanwhile, Khan also had a chat with the local police officials after which he alleged that all the five detained in suspense of killing Majhi was actually BJP workers. He demanded their immediate release.

“All of those detained by police are BJP workers. I’ve asked the police to immediately release them. If the police doesn’t accept our demand, we will call strike in entire Howrah,” Khan said as quoted by Bengali portal The Wall.

Reportedly, Majhi was shot dead while he was returning home after selling flowers in Howrah. His family claimed that the local TMC leaders were pressurising him to switch over from the saffron party.

However, unable to dent Majhi, he was shot on Ashtami by the ruling party workers, alleged his family. He was taken to Uluberia Hospital immediately after he was hit by the bullet.

From there, the local heavyweight BJP leader was taken to Kolkata’s NRS Hospital, where he underwent an unsuccessful operation before succumbing to his injuries on Wednesday.

As soon as the news of his death broke out, BJP workers in Bagnan took to violence. From destroying homes, burning shops to blocking the National Highway, the situation got heated up beyond control.

The protestors allegedly burnt down local TMC leader Nanda Majhi’s home, leading to clashes with the ruling party workers. The road from Bagnan to Beniapole was blocked by the protestors.