Political Violence Erupts in South 24-Parganas Following Murder of Trinamul Congress Leader

Following the shooting death of renowned Trinamul Congress leader Saifuddin Laskar, 43, in Joynagar's Bamungachi in South 24-Parganas early on Monday, at least thirty homes belonging to CPM supporters were set on fire, and a person was lynched by a mob.

Laskar was the head of the Bamungachi local committee of the party and an elected member of the gram panchayat.

Thus far, there have been two arrests made by police. The Trinamul leadership described the mob rage as a spontaneous outburst and accused the CPM of being responsible for Laskar's death.

However, the state leadership of the CPM said that the victim of the lynching was a Trinamul activist. It alluded to the murder's motive—Trinamul's internal strife.

Laskar was shot at close range by the police while commuting to the mosque around five in the morning, according to the police.

After being shot twice in the left side of his neck, he was sent to the rural hospital in Padmerhat, where medical professionals pronounced him dead.

In the Trinamul-led Bamungachi gram panchayat, which was led by his spouse Serifa Biwi, Laskar was an elected member.

Residents pursued the attackers on two motorcycles after they struck a little vehicle and crashed after hearing gunfire. In a paddy field, the crowd was able to capture three of the five attackers and lynch one of them.

The victim of the lynching was recognized by locals as Sahabuddin Seikh, a laborer from Trinamul who was not named by the police.

According to sources, last week Laskar gave Sahabuddin Rs 15,000 in support of his daughter's marriage.

"It's a deliberate killing. Looks like there were some local thugs involved. Leader of the Trinamul Congress and Baruipur East MLA Bivas Sardar said, "I have told the police to unlid conspiracy," although he denied knowing of any rival political party's role in the killing.

Laskar's father, according to sources in Trinamul, blamed the CPM for his son's death.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, CPM supporters' homes in the nearby hamlet of Daluakhaki-Laskarpara, five kilometers from the murder scene, were vandalized and set on fire, allegedly at the instigation of a segment of the local Trinamul leadership.

After four hours of rampaging, 200 people were left homeless.

Even the firefighters, who were able to reach the hamlet around two hours after the arson started, were opposed by the crowd.

The people of Daluakhaki-Laskarpara accused the police of being silent witnesses to the rampage of thugs.

"At six in the morning, we learned of the murder. Not a single conflict existed in our town. However, things took a turn for the worst around nine in the morning when armed thugs raided our community, picking out and burning the homes of CPM members. They set rice barns on fire. According to Alauddin Laskar, a resident of Daluakhaki-Laskarpara hamlet, "They even beat up children."

"We have lost everything, except for our lives," a housewife sobbed.

"When a mafia boss was slain, his minions went on the rampage only because they suspected something was wrong. The cops did nothing except let the rampage continue. Allow law enforcement to identify the true offenders. Sujan Chakraborty, the head of the CPM, stated, "The incident is similar to the planned retaliation in Birbhum's Bogtui by ruling goons after the murder of a Trinamul leader last year."

According to a local CPM official, Laskar's "terror" guaranteed Trinamul complete victory in the most recent panchayat election.

Palash Chandra Dhali, superintendent of police for the Baruipur police district, stated: "A person has been apprehended in relation to the Trinamul leader's murder...We are making an effort to locate the other defendant."

When asked who was responsible for the arson in the hamlet of Dalaukhaki-Laskarpara, Dhali said, "We have started a separate case."

Authorities would not rule out the possibility that the murder was the result of a Trinamul dispute.

Serifa Biwi, Laskar's wife, acknowledged that "not everyone" in Trinamul was fond of him. "But I don't know if it has any link to the murder," she said.