Local BJP leader shot dead in Bengal

Kolkata : A local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manish Shukla was shot dead on Sunday night near Titagarh in North 24 Parganas district.

The incident took place on BT Road, barely few metres away from the local police station. Police sources said Shukla was shot multiple times in the back and upper torso.

He was immediately taken to a private hospital on the EM Bypass where he was declared brought dead.

According to eyewitnesses, the assailants came on motorcycles and their faces were covered with masks and helmets. Two other BJP workers also sustained bullet injuries during the attack as they tried to save Shukla.

BJP's West Bengal unit has already called for a dawn-to-dusk shutdown in Barrackpore area on Monday in protest against the murder.

A central team of the BJP, comprising general secretary Sanjay Singh, MPs Arjun Singh, Saumitra Khan, Jagannath Sarkar and Shanku Deb Panda will visit Shukla's residence on Monday, sources said.

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar has also summoned CM Mamata Banerjee and state police over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

"ACS Home @MamataOfficial and DGP @WBPolice have been summoned at 10 am tomorrow in the wake of worsening law and order situation leading to dastardly killing of Manish Shukla, Councillor, Titagarh Municipality in political party office," the Governor tweeted at 11.40 p.m. on Sunday.

"We demand a CBI probe into the role of the police. Arjun Singh's life is also in danger. Mamata Banerjee cannot rule the state with terror," BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said.

A popular public figure in Barrackpore, Shukla had defected from the Trinamool Congress two years ago. Known to be a close associate with Barrackpore BJP MP Arjun Singh ha later joined the saffron brigade in the district.

BJP's Barrackpore Lok Sabha MP Arjun Singh had also defected from the Trinamool Congress in 2018.