West Bengal: Personal rivalry likely behind TMC worker’s killing in Dinhata

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The investigation into the killing of Trinamool Congress worker Ajijar Ali in Dinhata area of Cooch Behar district in West Bengal suggests that family dispute and not political rivalry could have been the reason behind the act. According to family members of the deceased, Ajijur Ali’s son was forcibly married to prime accused Azhar’s daughter Pinky and the alliance had ended after a legal battle.

Further probe into the incident has revealed that Ajijur Ali’s motorcycle was stopped by Azhar and his accomplices while the former was returning from a market. The victim was allegedly forcibly taken to Azhar’s residence, where the body of the deceased was found. While deceased Ajijur Ali was an active Trinamool Congress worker in the area, the prime accused, Azhar, had switched his political loyalty from the TMC to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the results of the Lok Sabha election 2019.

Relatives of the deceased have alleged that Azhar had been giving life threats to Ajijur Ali on several occasions. The accused and his wife were arrested by the police late Wednesday night. Reacting to the incident, Cooch Behar MP Nisith Pramanik alleged that though a personal conflict was the cause of the killing, the Trinamool Congress was trying to take political advantage.

“A personal issue was the cause of the incident. Trinamool Congress is trying to politicise it. The family of the deceased itself is saying it was due to personal reasons, no BJP worker has any role in it,” he said.

The Trinamool Congress worker was killed just a day after another party leader, Nirmal Kundu, was shot dead by three bike-borne assailants in Dum Dum area of North Kolkata. Kundu was the Trinamool Congress president of Ward No 6 of Dum Dum Municipality area under Nimta Police Station limits in North 24 Paraganas.