Trinamool worker shot dead in Malda, second party leader killed in a month

Trinamool worker shot dead in Malda; This is the second incident of a TMC activist being killed in a month publicly in Malda district

A Trinamool Congress worker was killed and two other party supporters sustained bullet injuries at Kaliachak in Malda district on Tuesday (January 14, 2025). The firing occurred at about 9 a.m. in the Kaliaganj area under the Kaliachak police station limits when Trinamool Congress local committee president Bakul Sheikh and other party workers were attending a programme on the inauguration of a road.

This is the second incident of a Trinamool Congress activist being killed in a month publicly in Malda district. Ataul Haque alias Hasu Sheikh, a TMC worker, succumbed to his injuries at the spot, while Bakul Sheikh and former panchayat chief Esaruddin Sheikh suffered critical injuries.

The incident occured 12 days after Trinamool Congress councillor Dulal Sarkar was shot dead in Englishbazar in Malda district. The firing on Tuesday was also in broad daylight where a group of miscreants indiscriminately opened fire at the local Trinamool Congress supporters.

Sujapur MLA Md Abdul Gani said that he was disappointed with police inaction and demanded that the Superintendent of Police of Malda be removed. The MLA said that the rise in the violence is because of factional fights within Trinamool Congress in the regime. “Someone is earning ₹10 crore, someone is not earning even ₹10,” the MLA said.

Also read | Trinamool councillor shot dead in Malda; Mamata sees ‘police negligence’

The Malda police have arrested seven persons in the murder of Dulal Sheikh. The police have claimed that contract killers were hired for ₹50 lakh to eliminate Dulal Sheikh. Local Trinamool leader Narendrapur Tiwari was arrested in connection with the murder.

The supporters of the deceased leader said that the assailants were acting under the direction of Trinamool Congress worker Zakir Sheikh. The party’s Malda district president Abdul Rahim Bakshi, however, denied that Zakir Sheikh is not a member of the TMC.