Tension gripped Gangasagar in South 24-Parganas on Wednesday morning after a local BJP leader was shot at by unidentified assailants near Sreedham bus stand under the Gangasagar Coastal police station area.
According to police sources, the injured leader has been identified as Trilokesh Dhali. The incident occurred around 8 a.m. when two miscreants allegedly arrived on a motorcycle and opened fire at him before fleeing the spot. Police said the bullet hit Dhali in the chest, leaving him seriously injured. He collapsed on the road in a pool of blood soon after the attack. Local residents rushed to the spot and rescued him before taking him to Sagar Rural Hospital, where he is currently undergoing treatment.
The motive behind the attack is yet to be ascertained and no arrests have been made so far, police said. An investigation has been initiated and search operations are underway to trace the assailants. The incident sparked tension in the area as several hundred BJP workers and supporters staged a protest and blockade soon after the news of the attack spread. The agitators demanded immediate arrest of those responsible for the shooting. Dhali’s son, Tridip Dhali, alleged that the attack was carried out by criminals backed by the ruling Trinamul Congress. He claimed that the area had not witnessed such criminal activities in the past but recently anti-social elements had become more active.
Tridip further alleged that the attack could be linked to the upcoming Assembly elections. According to him, his father was a potential candidate from the BJP and might have received the party’s nomination for the forthcoming polls. “This is a conspiracy by Trinamul to eliminate him politically,” he alleged. However, the Trinamul Congress dismissed the allegation and claimed that the incident was the outcome of factional rivalry within the BJP. Party leaders said their supporters had no role in the attack.
The police have stepped up patrolling in the area to prevent any further escalation of tension. Officers said all angles, including political rivalry and personal enmity, are being examined as part of the investigation.