BJP Worker Found Hanging from Tree in Bengal's Purulia, Party Blames TMC for 'Murder'

Kolkata: Just days after the chilling murder of the 18-year-old BJP worker Trilochan Mahato, another party member was found hanging from a tree in West Bengal’s Purulia district early Thursday morning.

The deceased, identified as 22-year-old Sishupal Sahis, was a resident of Chhenabona in Purulia and the member of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM).

Sahis was reportedly missing from Wednesday evening and was found hanging to a tree near a canal, located close to his house, the next day.

The body has been sent for autopsy and the exact cause of death will be ascertained once the reports are out, Akash Magharia, Superintendent of Police, Purulia told News18. "Investigations are underway and things will be clear in a few days," he added.

BJP Purulia President, Bidyasagar Chakraborty believes that this was a clear case of murder, “It is a case of murder and not suicide. We suspect ruling party workers behind his murder. We demand CBI level probe into the matter,” he said.

The party leader added that ever since the Panchayat election results were out, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) party workers had been threatening BJP supporters in the region. “So far five BJP workers were killed in Purulia in last few months,” he added.

Following the incident, a larger number of BJP workers took out rallies in protest across the district.

However, TMC district president Shanti Ram Mahato has rubbished all allegations of foul play. “It seems that he committed suicide due to some personal issues. We have asked the police to start a high level probe.”

On May 29 last year, BJP worker Mahato was found hanging from a tree at Purulia’s Balarampur village. The killers had left a chilling message on his T-Shirt, stating that he was murdered because of his association with the saffron party. In June, the body of another BJP member, 32-year-old Dulal Kumar was found hanging from an electric pole in the same village. He was the BJP secretary of Balarampur’s Block 10 Zila Parishad.

Purulia goes to polls in the sixth phase of voting on May 12.