A Trinamool Congress (TMC) panchayat samity leader was shot at in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district late Thursday night, sparking political turmoil after the son of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator was arrested in connection with the attack.
The incident occurred around 10:40 p.m. in the Pundibari area when the victim, Raju Dey, was returning home on a two-wheeler. According to police, the attackers arrived in a black SUV and opened fire, hitting Dey in the right shoulder. He was rushed to a local hospital where he underwent surgery. His condition is currently stable.
On Friday, police arrested Dipankar Roy, son of Sukumar Roy, the BJP MLA from Cooch Behar (North). Another person, Uttam Gupta, was also arrested. Authorities confirmed that the SUV used in the crime has been seized and that it belongs to the BJP legislator. “We have arrested two persons. A black-coloured SUV, which the attackers had used, has also been seized. Search for two more persons named in the FIR is ongoing,” said Dyutiman Bhattacharya, Superintendent of Police, Cooch Behar.
CCTV footage from the area was instrumental in identifying the suspects and tracing the vehicle used in the attack.
The incident has reignited tensions between the ruling TMC and opposition BJP. On Friday morning, TMC workers staged road blockades across multiple locations in Cooch Behar, including the Pundibari area, demanding swift action and accusing the BJP of orchestrating the attack.
“Dey was shot at by the BJP MLA’s son on his father’s instructions. The BJP MLA is behind this,” alleged Partha Pratim Roy, former TMC MP from Cooch Behar.
In response, Sukumar Roy denied the allegations, claiming the incident was the result of internal feuds within the TMC. “These are baseless allegations. Anywhere anything happens, BJP leaders and workers are being implicated by the ruling party and its police. The BJP is in no way involved. This is a result of the TMC’s factional feud. Dey has multiple enemies. We don’t believe in such politics of murder,” Roy told the media.
However, state minister Shashi Panja countered this claim, stating, “The BJP MLA is trying to pass it off as a factional feud of the TMC hoping that he can get off with it.”
The incident comes amid a politically charged atmosphere in West Bengal, where violent confrontations between rival party workers have been frequently reported in recent years.
Police investigations are ongoing, and a search is underway for two more individuals named in the complaint. Authorities have yet to determine the exact motive behind the attack.
