Trinamool-BJP supporters clash after man injured in Basirhat violence dies

Supporters of West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress and BJP-RSS activists clashed outside a state-run hospital here on Thursday after a man allegedly injured in the Basirhat communal violence died in the hospital.

The BJP and RSS leadership went to the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital premises, claiming the deceased Kartik Ghosh - an active worker of their party - was killed in Tuesday's communal clash in Basirhat sub-division of North 24 Parganas district.

The police said Ghosh hailed from Basirhat and died of multiple stab injuries.

However, they did not confirm whether his death was linked to the communal violence.

"He was associated with the Sangh and had been an active worker of BJP for a long time. He was stabbed several times with sharp weapons during the clash in Basirhat area. His family members brought him to R.G. Kar Hospital," the RSS' South Bengal General Secretary Jishnu Basu told IANS.

The ruckus started on Thursday morning when some BJP leaders including actor-turned-politician Locket Chatterjee were stopped by a mob from entering the hospital to meet the family of the deceased.

Later in the day, a mob surrounded the cars of state BJP president Dilip Ghosh and party's national General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and demanded they go back.

Claiming the agitators were Trinamool Congress-backed hooligans, Ghosh said they were being forcibly stopped from meeting the deceased's family members.

The state BJP chief also complained that some of their activists were severely beaten up by TMC activists.

The police said there was a scuffle between the Trinamool and BJP-RSS activists. "The car of former BJP MLA Shamik Bhattacharya was vandalised. No case has been lodged yet. No one has been detained," said the police officer.

--IANS

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