TMC worker accused of \'cut money\' found hanging from tree in east Burdwan district

Burdwan: A Trinamool Congress worker, who was accused of taking cut money from beneficiaries of government schemes, was found hanging in East Burdwan district on Wednesday, police said.

The TMC alleged that BJP workers killed 53-year-old Purnendu Chattopadhyay, a charge denied by the saffron party.

Chattopadhyay, who was a TMC booth agent in the Lok Sabha election, was not staying at home in the town following demonstrations by people for around a week demanding the return of cut money allegedly taken by him from them.

Superintendent of Police Bhaskar Mukhopadhyay said he was found hanging from a tree in a village near Burdwan town and five persons were taken into custody for interrogation.

Read: Protests force TMC leader to return Rs 2.25 lakh taken as 'cut money'

After a post-mortem examination, TMC workers took the body to the busy Curzon Gate area here and put up a road blockade in protest against the alleged killing.

The blockade was lifted after the police assured them of taking prompt action.

TMC district president and state minister Swapan Debnath alleged that BJP workers have unleashed a reign of terror over demand for the return of cut money.

BJP district president Sandip Nandy said the party was not involved in the incident.