A CPI (M) leader who was critically injured in an attack in South Tripura's Rajnagar area died while undergoing treatment at a hospital on Saturday, police said. The deceased was identified as Badal Shill, who was in the fray for the communist party for the upcoming local body polls in the northeast stae.
Shill was attacked by a group of men with a 'dao' or machete, sticks and other weapons at Rajnagar market, his family alleged. He breathed his last at the state-run GB Pant Hospital in Agartala.
The CPI(M) alleged that Badal Shill, a zilla parishad candidate in the panchayat polls, was murdered by goons of Tripura's ruling BJP. The opposition party has called a 12-hour statewide bandh on Sunday protesting the murder, news agency PTI said. Left Front convenor Narayan Kar clarified that the statewide bandh would begin at 6 am, and continue till 6 pm.
South Tripura Superintendent of Police Ashok Kumar Sinha reportedly told PTI that the victim was attacked by a group of people on Friday evening. However, the perpetrators are yet to be identified, he added.
"Police visited the spot immediately after coming to know about the incident. The victim was not in a condition to tell the police anything. However, we lodged a suo motu case. An investigation is underway," he said.
CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury, who is also the leader of the opposition in the assembly, said Shill had received severe head injuries in the attack.
Panchayat elections will be held in the state on August 8, and the votes will be counted on August 10.
