Thaindian News

Kolkata, July 1 (IANS) The West Bengal government Thursday announced the removal of the Birbhum district superintendent of police (SP), following the murder of a former Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) legislator in the area.
Speaking on the issue in the state assembly, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee blamed the opposition Trinamool Congress for the former four-time legislator Ananda Das’s murder and the violence in the area June 29.

He charged the Trinamool with efforts to spread unrest in Nanur and some other areas of Birbhum district and said the situation has turned complicated because of the opposition party.

“We have decided to remove the SP. He will be replaced by a new SP who has been asked to take effective measures to bring the situation under control,” the chief minister said, responding to questions from legislators.

However, Leader of Opposition Partha Chattopadhyay claimed Das was murdered due to internal squabbles within the CPI-M.

Chattopadhyay also demanded the chief minister own moral responsibility for the violence and resign.

“The murder is the result of CPI-M’s internal feuds. He (Das) has been killed by CPI-M men with active support from a section of police,” he alleged.

Congress legislative party leader and newly-appointed state party chief Manas Bhunia called for a Central Bureau of investigation (CBI) probe into the murder.

Fourteen people, including three Trinamool Congress supporters, have been arrested following the murder of Das, who was dragged from his house and beaten up mercilessly before being repeatedly shot.

Agitated local CPI-M supporters accused the police of inaction during the violence and chased away policemen who went to the area Wednesday,

Trouble started at Nanur, under Bolpur sub-division Tuesday, after a Trinamool worker S.K. Phulu was shot at in the afternoon, and the party blamed the CPI-M for the incident.