MLA's henchman beaten to death

Crime

MLA's henchman beaten to death leading to commotion in Labhpur

A smoldering fire within inflicting persistent group rivalry over the months found a grazing goat as a plea to kill one 'scapegoat' party colleague by the Trinamul Congress member of his contender group in Labhpur near here and the severely injured man died today loading a fresh tensions in the area.

The TMC men armed with logs, shovel and iron rods flexed muscle on their fellow party man Abdur Rahaman Mallik and hacked him to death ruthlessly.

The deceased, according to his family members was an aide of Labhpur MLA Abhijit Singha. The police meanwhile arrested seven TMC members of Abdul Mannan faction. The victim's family though has claimed that the 'actual' culprits harboured by Mannan couldn't be booked as yet.

Trouble broke out at Kusumgoria village in Labhpur Assembly Constituency on Wednesday and the commotion began when some villagers witnessed a goat grazing on the paddy field of Abdur Rahaman Mallik and the goat owner was also a party man who happens to be an aide of Mannan. This led to a brawl and during a fierce clash, Mallik suffered gruesome wounds and was prompted to a nursing home in Suri district town where he succumbed to his injuries today morning.

After a large contingent of cops from the Labhpur Police Station failed to control the situation, the Sub Divisional Police Officer had entered into the scene to quell the mob fury.

Kanak Mallik, son of the slain party man today exclaimed: "My father was a dedicated party man and used to give party's interest a priority over the family crisis. Today, he had to pay his life for such a madness for Mamata Banerjee's party, unfortunately."

He added: "My father simply went to protect his own crops and protest- why one had unleashed a goat on his hard toiled yield, when Mannan had threatened him into dire consequence, which many witnessed, but the police hasn't booked him as yet." Even, he complained: "The MLA for whom my father exhibited absolute loyalty over the years, has now turned his back."

The MLA, Abhijit Singha meanwhile has pressed a rural longstanding quarrel responsible behind the fatal incident and said today: "There's no political issue responsible for this. Instead, it's a local dispute arose from a recurring family feud that the police is investigating."

The deceased's family has lodged complaint against 15 persons including Mannan.

The police said that Mannan has absconded.