Second Trinamool Congress activist killed in Bengal within a day

Kolkata, July 15 (IANS) Within a day, a second Trinamool Congress activist was killed on Saturday in post-poll violence in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district, just hours after another party worker was hacked to death.

Trinamool Congress activist, Pralay Mondal was shot dead from point-blank range on Saturday morning in front of his residence in the Bishnupur area.

Earlier in the day, another ruling party activist Nantu Gazi, was hacked to death also in the same area.

In both the cases, the Trinamool Congress leadership has accused All India Secular Front (AISF) workers of carrying out the murder.

But the AISF has dismissed the allegation, saying the killings were due to infighting between two groups of the ruling party in the area.

With the two new fatalities, the overall death toll in connection to the recently-held panchayat elections since the polling date was announced on June 8 has increased to 47.

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

The death toll continues to spike despite the presence of the central armed forces personnel in different pockets of the state.

They forces are supposed to remain in the state till July 22 as per a directive of a division bench of the Calcutta High Court headed by Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam.

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