Bengal: Son of Trinamool Congress leader killed in shootout

Kolkata, Aug 9 (IANS) The son of a Trinamool Congress leader and head of a village panchayat has been killed in a shootout in broad daylight. The incident happened in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal on Saturday.

The deceased youth has been identified as Amar Roy, son of the head of the local Dawaguri village panchayat, Kuntala Roy. The deceased youth himself was an active member of the youth wing of Trinamool Congress in the area.

According to statements given by eyewitnesses to the police, the deceased youth, along with one of his associates, came to a weekly market in the area. There, the two quarreled with another group of youth who arrived at the market riding motorcycles.

“Suddenly, one of those youths who came in motorcycles brought out a firearm and shot at the deceased youth from point-blank range,” an eyewitness told media persons.

Being shot in the head, the deceased youth fell. He was rushed to a local hospital, where the doctors declared him dead. Meanwhile, the other group of youths, including the killer, immediately vanished from the scene on their motorcycles.

The Cooch Behar district police superintendent, Dyutiman Bhattacharya, informed the media persons that the group of youths arrived at the marketplace on two motorcycles.

“Investigation in the matter is on,” he added.

However, it is yet to be clear whether any personal rivalry was the reason behind the murder or any political enmity prompted the crime.

Cooch Behar was in the news early this week over an attack on the convoy of the leader of the opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, allegedly by Trinamool Congress activists and supporters.

A complaint was registered in the matter against 41 individuals, including the local Trinamool Congress leader and the West Bengal minister in charge of the North Bengal Development department, Udayan Guha.

Adhikari claimed that he could have been killed in the attack unless the car in which he was travelling was a bulletproof one.

--IANS

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