Two hours after voting commenced for by polls in six Assembly constituencies of West Bengal on Wednesday, violence broke out in Naihati, located in North 24 Parganas, near Kolkata. Ashok Shaw, a local Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader, was shot and killed by unidentified miscreants.
The incident occurred around 9 am when three men approached Shaw as he stood near a roadside tea stall.
One of the assailants shot him at close range, and as Shaw collapsed, the attackers hurled bombs to create a distraction before fleeing.
Shaw was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.
Family members of Shaw and fellow TMC members suspect internal party disputes as the possible motive behind the attack. Naihati is one of the areas where by-elections are being held.
Barrackpore Police Commissioner Aloke Rajoria confirmed that Shaw had been hit by a bullet in the upper back and noted that Shaw had been attacked last year, suggesting that this could be related.
Eyewitnesses are being questioned, and police have gathered several leads. Rajoria assured the public that the culprits would be arrested soon.
Shaw, a businessman and social worker, had been the TMC president for Ward 12 of the local municipality until recently, when another leader replaced him.
According to locals, Shaw had campaigned against illegal alcohol dens in the area, which were allegedly supported by local criminals with political ties.
Some residents suspect that Shaw may have been viewed as a threat by certain TMC leaders, especially with the ongoing by-election in Naihati.
Reports of further violence emerged as voting began. In Madarihat, North Bengal, stones were thrown at the car of BJP candidate Rahul Lohar, allegedly by TMC supporters on motorcycles.
Meanwhile, in Haroa, North 24 Parganas, the Indian Secular Force (ISF), a rival of the TMC, claimed that false voting was taking place at a polling station in Deganga.
Follow us
