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

His condition continued to deteriorate and he died inthe morning due to excessive blood loss, hospital authoritiessaid.

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

''We are thoroughly probing the matter. A post-mortemexamination will be conducted during the day,'' 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 Midda's death,'' CPI (M) leader SujanChakraborty told PTI.

State BJP chief Dilip Ghosh also mourned Midda'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.

Senior TMC leader and state Panchayat Minister SubrataMukherjee said, ''Any death is unfortunate. But that day thepolice was very sensible. I think this is nothing butsuicide.'' 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.