BJP worker allegedly beaten to death by TMC in Bengal

Kolkata, Aug 16: A BJP worker was allegedly beaten to death by TMC supporters over hoisting of the national flag on Independence Day in West Bengal's Hoogly district, police said.

TMC has denied the charge and the police has arrested eight persons in connection with the incident that occured on Saturday afternoon in Khanakul area of the district.

A scuffle had broken out between two groups over hoisting of the national flag, a senior police official of the district said.

"One person was beaten to death. We have arrested eight persons. We have started an investigation into it, he said.

According to state BJP sources, Sudarshan Pramanik, 40, was beaten to death by TMC supporters.

The party has called a 12-hour Hooghly district shutdown on Sunday in protest against the killing, the sources said.

"Our party worker was beaten to death by TMC supporters over hoisting of the national flag in the area. Our party workers are not spared even on Independence Day," BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said.

TMC leader and the partys spokesperson in the district Prabir Ghosal refuted the charge and said the death was due to factional fight between two factions of the BJP.