Kolkata, April 8 – The body of a Bharatiya Janata Party activist was recovered in Haldia, in the East Midnapore district of West Bengal, on Wednesday evening, just under 24 hours before the party’s major election campaign rally there, which will be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 9.
The deceased BJP activist has been identified as Mahadeb Biswas. His body was recovered on Wednesday evening on the bank of the Haldia River in the Balughata area of Haldia, a prominent industrial town in East Midnapore district.
His body was covered in blood and had several injury marks.
The reason for his death is yet to be determined, and his body has been sent for post-mortem examination. However, his family members believe that he was murdered.
It is learned that the deceased BJP worker had been missing since Tuesday evening. His wife told the media that her husband had left their residence for work on Tuesday evening and had not returned.
"I am sure that this is a clear case of murder. His throat is swollen. There are severe injury marks on his limbs," she said.
The local BJP leadership has also claimed that this was a pre-planned and cold-blooded murder. A local BJP leader said that Mahadeb was an active BJP worker.
He added that before the upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal, with all the assembly constituencies in East Midnapore district going to the polls in the first phase on April 23, the murder was organised to create an atmosphere of tension in the area, and Mahadeb became a victim.
However, the local Trinamool Congress leadership has ruled out any political connection with the death.
A local Trinamool Congress leader said that it was even doubtful whether the deceased person was associated with the BJP or not.
The police have started a thorough investigation into the matter.