Cooch Behar (West Bengal): At least two Bharatiya Janta Party workers have been allegedly shot at by the ruling Trinamool Congress supporters in West Bengal's Cooch Behar district on Sunday.
According to BJP sources, the activists were shot at while coming back from a protest demonstration against the killing of party workers in North 24 Parganas district's Sandeshkhali which took place on Saturday.
"We organised two-three blockades and demonstrations to protest against the brutal killing of our workers in Sandeshkhali in the hands of Trinamool. While our workers were coming back from the demonstration, they were attacked by 600-700 Trinamool goons. One person has been shot in his leg," BJP's Cooch Behar district president Malati Rava said.
"Many of our supporters are injured as the Trinamool goons attacked us with sharp weapons and iron rods," she alleged.
The district Trinamool leadership, however, refuted the allegation and accused the saffron party of fomenting unrest in the area.
"I haven't heard about any such incidents in Cooch Behar today. These are baseless allegations. They are trying to create tension in the area by spreading such rumours and holding rallies," Trinamool leader Partha Pratim Roy said.
Incidents of violence between BJP and Trinamool workers have increased after a bitterly fought election in which the saffron party ended up winning 18 of 42 Lok Sabha seats - only four behind the Trinamool's 22. Mamata Banerjee's party claimed 34 in the 2014 polls.
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There have been at least three clashes reported in the last 10 days alone, starting with a BJP worker being hacked to death, allegedly by a Trinamool worker, at Ketugram in Burdwan district on May 30. On Wednesday a Trinamool supporter was allegedly thrashed to death in Cooch Behar, two days after a colleague was shot dead in Kolkata. And, at least three people - one Trinamool Congress worker and two from the BJP - were killed in Bengal's North 24 Paraganas district after clashes between the two parties broke out on Saturday evening.
