BJP activist lynched by Trinamool Congress for chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' in Bengal: Party

The BJP on Saturday claimed that its worker was allegedly lynched by Trinamool Congress (TMC) activists in West Bengal's Nadia district for chanting 'Jai Shri Ram'. The TMC leadership termed the allegation "completely baseless" and said the BJP worker was beaten up by locals as he had misbehaved with women after getting drunk.

Krishna Debnath, 26, who hailed from Nabadwip area was allegedly beaten up on Wednesday night and admitted to a local hospital. He was later shifted to a hospital in Kolkata, where he died on Friday, the saffron party claimed.

The police confirmed receiving a complaint and said a probe into the incident is on.

State BJP president Dilip Ghosh demanded the immediate resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from the post of home minister as she has "completely failed to perform her duties in maintaining the law and order situation in the state".

He also alleged that the TMC government in the state has let loose a reign of terror in Bengal and people who chant 'Jai Shri Ram' are either killed or are thrown into jail.

"With the death of Krishna Debnath we have lost 19 of our activists since the Lok Sabha results. It is shameful that our party workers are being killed for chanting Jai Shri Ram slogan," BJP leader Mukul Roy, who met the man's family, told reporters.

The local BJP blocked the road at Nadia demanding immediate arrest of the culprits behind the alleged lynching. They accused the TMC workers for being directly involved in the crime.

Senior Nadia district TMC leader Gouri Shankar Dutta denied the charge, saying it was "completely baseless and politically fabricated".

"This is a baseless allegation. The person was beaten up not for chanting Jai Shri Ram but for misbehaving with women after getting drunk. Our party workers are in no way involved with the incident," Dutta said.