March to Nabanna: Injured DYFI activist dies; sparks political slugfest in Bengal

A DYFI activist who was injuredin a clash with the police during the Left parties' march toWest Bengal secretariat Nabanna on February 11 succumbed tohis injuries on Monday morning, igniting a political row inthe state.

The CPI (M) has termed its youth wing cadre's death a''murder'' by the TMC government, while the ruling party in thestate called it a ''suicide''.

Maidul Islam Midya, a resident of Kotulpur in Bankuradistrict, was critically injured and was undergoing treatmentat a private hospital in south Kolkata, a health officialsaid.

He had suffered renal failure, following which he dieddue to cardiac arrest in the morning, CPI (M) leader Dr FuadHalim, at whose medical facility Midya was being treated,said.

An FIR was registered with the Shakespeare Saranipolice station in connection with Midya's death, a seniorofficer of Kolkata Police said.

''We are thoroughly probing the matter. A post-mortemexamination will be conducted,'' he said.

The CPI (M) has held the TMC government responsiblefor his death.

''This is nothing but murder. The way the students werelathi-charged during the march shows that the TMC governmentis scared and worried. The state administration is solelyresponsible for Midya's death,'' CPI (M) leader SujanChakraborty told PTI.

Comparing the police action with the Jallianwala Baghmassacre, he said that the agitators were not left with anescape route and were beaten up mercilessly.

''The Centre has declared war on farmers in Delhi.

Similar things are happening in this state,'' he said.

State BJP chief Dilip Ghosh also mourned Midya's deathand lashed out at the TMC government.

''This is an unfortunate incident. It shows that theTMC government has lost control over everything. Whatever ishappening in West Bengal is not correct,'' he said.

State Panchayat Minister and senior TMC leader SubrataMukherjee alleged that the CPI (M) had deliberately createdtrouble during the stir to garner public support for theupcoming assembly elections due in April-May.

''Any death is unfortunate. But that day the police wasvery sensible. I think this is nothing but suicide. Theywanted a dead body,'' he said.

Reacting sharply to the veteran TMC leader's comment,CPI (M) Rajya Sabha MP Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya said,''Democratic values cannot be expected from Mukherjee who hasgrown up in a fascist atmosphere.'' CPI (M) state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra, in astatement, demanded that the post-mortem examination has to bevideographed and the police officers responsible for Midya'sdeath have to be identified and punished.

Student and youth wings of Left parties had clashedwith the police during the rally, leading to injuries on bothsides.

The police had resorted to lathi-charge, burst teargas shells and used water cannons to disperse the activists.

The Left Front had called a 12-hour state-wide bandhon February 12 in protest against the police action.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)