Trinamool Congress activist hacked to death in post-poll violence

Kolkata, July 15 (IANS) A Trinamool Congress activist was hacked to death on Saturday by alleged All India Secular Front Activists (AISF) workers at Canning in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district.

The victim has been identified as Nantu Ghazi and the incident occured early morning in the Satmukhi-Gazipur area. 

A local police officer said that Ghazi was taken to a hospital but succumbed to critical injuries during treatment,

With this, the overall death toll in connection to the recently-held panchayat elections since the polling date was announced on June 8 has increased to 46.

While 19 deaths were reported before the elections were held on July 8, the rest occurred during post-poll violence.

On Friday night, a celebratory function was organised in Canning by Trinamool Congress candidates who got elected uncontested in the polls.

But, according to sources, AISF workers objected to the celebrations, resulting in violent clashes between the two sides.

Crude bombs were hurled and also a brief exhange of gunfire occured.

As the clashes were underway, the AISF workers abducted Ghazi and later hacked him to dead, according to Trinamool Congress activists.

The AISF leadership has however, denied the allegations.

A massive police contingent has been deployed in the area to maintain law and order.

“AISF is trying to unleash violence in the area after being defeated in the recently conducted panchayat polls,” said Parasuram Das, local Trinamool Congress legislator from the Canning (West) constituency.

On July 18, a crucial hearing on poll-related irregularities is scheduled at the Calcutta High Court.