BJP blames state govt for cop's death in hills

EOI, Kolkata, 14 Oct 2017: West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh today held the Mamata Banerjee government responsible for the death of sub-inspector Amitabha Malik, alleging that it had sent police personnel "who were not properly trained" to capture GJM chief Bimal Gurung.

Ruling Trinamool Congress hit back saying Ghosh should refrain from "speaking in support of" the "anti-nationals" who killed the police officer. Malik was killed and four other policemen were seriously injured after alleged Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters, owing allegiance to its chief Bimal Gurung, fired at a police team in a forest area near Darjeeling on Friday. "The state government is responsible for the SI's death. It is sending police personnel who do not have proper training to capture Gurung," Ghosh said.

The Bengal BJP president alleged that the TMC had earlier "used" Gurung and now it wanted to eliminate him to make way for expelled GJM leader Binay Tamang, who was made chairman of the Board of Administrators for the Darjeeling hills by the state government. TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee accused Ghosh of giving provocative speech and said those who killed the SI and those supporting them are "anti-nationals".

Chatterjee said the state BJP chief was speaking in support of those who had killed the police officer. "We feel ashamed of it," he said.