A newly elected Trinamool Congress (TMC) gram panchayat member was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district in continuation of the poll-related violence in West Bengal. The deceased has been identified as Moimur Gharami. The incident took place on Friday late at night in the Arjunpur area of Block 2 of Magrahat.
"A winning Panchayat election candidate of TMC was hacked to death in the Arjunpur area of Block 2 of Magrahat late last night. At the same time, one of his companions was injured: Mithun Dey, SDPO, Diamond Harbour.
The police, however, are investigating whether the murder was a fallout of political rivalry or personal enmity. With the death of Gharami, the overall total death toll in the violence linked to the recently concluded panchayat polls in the state has increased to 55.
Gharami's close associate Sahajahan Molla was also shot. He is currently under treatment at a local hospital and is said to be in critical condition. According to the police, while Gharami was returning home he was surrounded by a group of unidentified miscreants, who first hacked him and then shot at him from a close range. He died on the spot. Molla, who rushed to save him, was also shot by the attackers.
Meanwhile, four people have been arrested in connection to the murder.
TMC swept the recently concluded three-tier panchayat elections in the state.
(With agencies input)
